Senior System Architect – Optical Communications TeraWave

The Emerging Systems business unit at Blue Origin is pioneering the future of space-based communications with TeraWave a revolutionary satellite communications network designed to deliver symmetrical data speeds of up to 6 Tbps anywhere on Earth. This multi-orbit constellation will consist of 5408 optically interconnected satellites in low Earth orbit (LEO) and medium Earth orbit (MEO) providing enterprise-grade connectivity for critical operations worldwide.

As the Senior System Architect for our next-generation optical communications program you will define the end-to-end technical vision for a system designed to set new standards in space-based connectivity. You will own the architectureof ahigh-performanceOptical Communications system translating ambitious missionobjectivesinto a resilient high-performance system ready for the space environment.

You willbe responsible forarchitectinglarge aperture optical communications terminals. Your decisions will balance link margin pointing precisionoptical performance and manufacturing costunder challenging constraints. The architecture and trades you lead will form the technical foundation of the program enabling the team to achieve critical design and performance milestones.

Special Mentions:

• This position may include relocationassistance

• Travel expectations: Up to 15% travel to supplier facilities test sites and other Blue Origin locations

Responsibilities include but are not limited to:

Architecture & System Trades

• Establish the end-to-end mission architecture including wavelengthselection link geometry autonomy and redundancy strategies and initial allocations for size weight power and thermal (SWaP-T)

• Drive system-level trades for the terminals aperture converging onan optimalbalance of link margin pointing accuracy throughput structural stiffness and thermal management

• Flow down performance budgets to all subsystems (Optics PAT Modem Electronics) with rigorous Interface Control Documents (ICDs) and calibration strategies

• Integrate Structural-Thermal-Optical Performance (STOP) analysis into system budgets and define clear acceptance criteria for hardware verification and vendor Statements of Work (SOWs)

• Support operations and manufacturing teams for high-volume production

Pointing Acquisition & Tracking (PAT)

• Define the PAT concept of operations and control architecture including the selection and design of the filters acquisition scan patterns and beacon strategies

• Model simulate andallocatebudgets for key performance parameters such as capture probability acquisition timelines residual jitter and pointing loss to ensure link closure

• Develop a validation strategy for PAT algorithms from simulation to advanced mirror materials

Modem & Electronics

• Define the modem and other electronic systems development plan

• Ensure deterministic latency fault tolerance and resilience to radiation and other space environmental effects across all digital interfaces

Systems Engineering & Risk Management

• Author and manage core systems engineering documents including ICDs requirements flow-down and comprehensive verification and validation plans

• Identifytechnical risks andmaintainparallel risk-mitigation paths (e.g. alternative components or materials) to protect project schedule and performance margin

• Lead architecture reviews present trade studies to stakeholders and serve as the primary technical authority for the system design

Rapid Prototyping & Iterative Development

• Lead rapid prototyping efforts across hardware electronics and software systems tovalidatedesign concepts earlyestablishingagile development processes that balance speed withappropriate fidelitywhilemaintainingrigorous documentation

• Create effective feedback loops between prototype testing results and system design coordinating cross-functional teams to integrate and test full-scale prototypes that align with system requirements and enable continuous refinement of the architecture

Minimum Qualifications:

• Bachelors degree in Systems Engineering Electrical Engineering Optical Engineering or a related field with 7 years of relevant experience (M.S./Ph.D. preferred)

• End-to-end system design experience in high-throughput optical communications (free-space or fiber)

• Mastery of optical link budget analysis including pointing loss atmospheric/diffraction effects jitter coupling and capture probability modeling

• Demonstrated experience in designing and analyzing control systems (e.g. filters scan strategies beacon processing)

• Familiar with FPGA/ASIC architectures including SerDes interfaces deterministic memory/DMA design and high-speed data path considerations (FEC framing synchronization)

• Proven systems engineering rigor in authoring ICDs decomposing requirements and developing verification plans for complex spaceflight or aerospace systems

• Experience with radiation-tolerant design principles including SEU mitigation andselectionof radiation-tolerant components

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience with optical systems particularly with straylight and contamination control considerations

• Familiarity with space hardware development lifecycles and standards (e.g. DO-254 ECSS)

• Experience in designing built-in-test (BIT) telemetry and fault management systems

• Hands-on experience with hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) validation

• Knowledge of coherent and incoherent detection methods or advanced modulation formats