MKVehicle Engineering Principal Systems Engineer

Application close date:

At Blue Origin, we envision millions of people living and working in space for the benefit of Earth. We're working to develop reusable, safe, and low-cost space vehicles and systems within a culture of safety, collaboration, and inclusion. Join our team of problem solvers as we add new chapters to the history of spaceflight!

We are seeking a
Principal Systems Engineer
to lead system definition, technical integration, and verification execution for the
MK2 Crew Lunar Lander
. This role drives disciplined end-to-end systems engineering for a
crewed lunar landing vehicle
, spanning architecture trades, requirements/ICDs, hazard and fault management, and verification closure through integrated vehicle testing and mission readiness.

You will serve as a senior technical integrator across propulsion, GN&C, avionics, comms, power, thermal, structures, software, and crew systems, ensuring the lander meets performance, safety, human-rating, and mission objectives in the lunar environment.

Key Responsibilities

System Architecture & Mission Integration

• Lead lander-level architecture trades and system budgets (mass, power, thermal, propellant, delta-V, comms link, pointing, timeline/ops).

• Develop and maintain vehicle-level
  CONOPS
  for crewed lunar descent/ascent, surface operations, and rendezvous/docking phases (as applicable).

• Define and manage system-level margins, performance closure, and technical decision records.

Requirements, Interfaces, and Configuration Management

• Own system requirements decomposition, allocation, and traceability (mission vehicle subsystem component).

• Develop and manage
  ICDs
  and interface verification for:
  
  Launch vehicle and ground processing/transportation
  
  Crew and mission systems (e.g., docking/transfer interfaces where applicable)
  Ground segment and mission operations
  
  Test equipment and GSE

• Drive technical baseline management, change control (CCB), and requirements quality (clear, verifiable, traceable).

Human-Rating, Safety, and Fault Management

• Lead system-level
  hazard identification/closure
  , fault tolerance strategy, redundancy, and safe-mode/contingency design for a crewed vehicle.

• Guide FMEA/FMECA, FHA/SSHA support, and integrated fault management (FDIR) requirements across avionics, propulsion, and software.

• Ensure design and verification approach supports human-rating expectations (including rigorous verification evidence and operational controls).

Verification & Validation (V&V) and Test Execution

• Own or co-own the lander
  verification plan
  , verification matrix, and compliance evidence strategy.

• Define integrated test strategy and success criteria across component, subsystem, and vehicle levels including:
  
  Propulsion testing (including cryogenic operations as applicable), pressurization, leak checks
  
  GN&C closed-loop testing / HILEMI/EMC, environmental tests (vibe/shock), thermal balance/TVACEnd-to-end mission simulations and mission readiness activities

• Lead anomaly triage and root-cause/corrective action closure with cross-functional teams.

Cross-Functional Technical Leadership

• Chair/lead integration forums; resolve subsystem-to-system technical conflicts and drive closure.

• Mentor engineers and elevate systems engineering rigor (requirements, interface discipline, verification thinking, review readiness).

• Support major technical reviews and customer-facing milestones (SRR/PDR/CDR/TRR/FRR) with clear, data-backed messaging.

Minimum Qualifications

• Education:B.S. in Aerospace, Mechanical, Electrical, or related engineering discipline (M.S. preferred).

• Experience:10+ years in systems engineering with significant responsibility on complex flight vehicles; experience leading integration and verification is required.

• Demonstrated ownership of
  system requirements
  ,
  ICDs
  , and
  verification closure
  through test and review milestones.

• Strong breadth across spacecraft/lander subsystems (propulsion, GN&C, avionics, comms, power, thermal, structures, mechanisms, software).

• Proven ability to lead cross-functional technical teams and make high-quality trade decisions under schedule pressure.

Preferred Qualifications

• Prior experience on
  crewed spacecraft
  and/or
  human-rated
  systems (hazards, fault tolerance, operational mitigations, stringent verification).

• Experience with
  lunar
  missions/environments (dust, lighting extremes, thermal transients, surface operations constraints).

• Experience with
  cryogenic propulsion systems
  , integrated propellant management, and propulsion system verification.

• Tool proficiency: requirements management (e.g., Jama), Workflow (e.g., Jira), and configuration management practices.

• Experience…