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Deep Space Ground Navigation Engineer III Verified today

Blue Origin · Denver, CO · Space Systems · first seen 2026-10-15
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The Role

You will join the Astrodynamics and Trajectory Execution (ATX) team within Blue Origin's In-Space Systems business unit. This is a hands-on role where you independently own significant portions of the navigation process for entire missions, spanning analysis, software development, and live flight operations.

Your Responsibilities

  • Own lifecycle navigation through requirements definition, pre-launch orbit determination and covariance analysis, gated reviews, mission rehearsals, and flight operations. Author navigation plans, analysis reports, and operations procedures.
  • Perform orbit determination: define filter strategies, estimated parameters, and tracking data requirements. Process Doppler, range, and Delta-DOR data to generate orbit solutions for cislunar and interplanetary spacecraft, accounting for long light times, solar conjunction, and planetary gravity and atmosphere modeling.
  • Fly deep space missions: perform live navigation operations through launch, cruise (including low-thrust phases), trajectory correction maneuvers, planetary approach, and orbit insertion, making solution-acceptance and maneuver-readiness recommendations under real-time constraints.
  • Develop operational navigation software in Python, Julia, C++, and Monte. Partner with the flight dynamics software architect to infuse algorithms into ATX's Monte-based flight dynamics system.
  • Define model-fidelity requirements and develop force models (gravity fields, solar radiation pressure, atmospheric drag, third-body effects), measurement models, and simulation tools for high-fidelity navigation analysis.
  • Automate orbit determination, tracking data processing, and navigation product workflows as ATX scales toward fleet-level operations, including through generative AI.
  • Collaborate with ATX, flight operations, systems engineering, and external tracking-network partners. Represent navigation in reviews and mentor junior navigators.
  • Scope, estimate, and plan work in deliverable increments using Jira and git.

Minimum Qualifications

  • M.S. in Aerospace Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or related field with 5+ years of relevant experience, or Ph.D. with 3+ years of relevant experience.
  • Strong working knowledge of astrodynamics, orbital mechanics, and statistical orbit determination and estimation theory, including batch least squares, sequential filtering, and covariance analysis.
  • Demonstrated experience performing radiometric orbit determination using Doppler and range measurements, including modeling, reconstructing, and calibrating high-thrust maneuvers.
  • Proficiency in at least one of Python, Julia, or C++, with experience developing and testing analysis or operational software.
  • Applied experience with orbit determination tools such as Monte, STK/ODTK, FreeFlyer, or GMAT.
  • Experience supporting spacecraft mission operations, mission rehearsals, or comparable time-critical operational environments.
  • Demonstrated ability to work independently, scope ambiguous technical problems, and deliver results with minimal oversight.
  • Excellent verbal and written communication skills, including presenting technical results in design reviews and authoring technical documentation.
  • Ability to earn trust, maintain positive and professional relationships, and contribute to a culture of inclusion.
  • Must be a U.S. citizen or national, U.S. permanent resident (current Green Card holder), or lawfully admitted into the U.S. as a refugee or granted asylum.

Preferred Qualifications

  • Ph.D. in Aerospace Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or related field.
  • Experience navigating spacecraft in cislunar or interplanetary environments, including interfacing with the Deep Space Network.
  • Experience navigating spacecraft with electric propulsion, including modeling and estimating continuous low-thrust accelerations.
  • Applied orbit determination experience in the Monte toolkit, including infusing algorithms into operational flight dynamics software.
  • Experience processing real flight tracking data, including Doppler, range, or Delta-DOR measurements.
  • Experience developing or validating dynamical and measurement models for high-fidelity orbit determination.
  • End-to-end mission lifecycle experience (SRR, PDR, CDR, ORR, rehearsals), including live navigation operations during mission-critical events, ideally on a deep-space mission.
  • Experience owning a navigation product for a mission phase, such as an orbit determination setup, navigation plan, or operations procedure.
  • Experience mentoring engineers and communicating effectively across a distributed team.
  • Experience with DevOps practices and tooling, including configuration control, CI/CD, code review, Jira, git, Docker, Terraform, and Ansible.
  • Experience using generative AI tools to expedite and automate your workflow.
  • Current TS/SCI clearance with polygraph, or willingness to obtain and maintain one.

Compensation

Base Pay Range for Colorado applicants: $119,814.00 - $167,738.55. Other site ranges may differ.

Benefits

  • Medical, dental, vision, basic and supplemental life insurance
  • Paid parental leave
  • Short and long-term disability
  • 401(k) with company match of up to 5%
  • Education Support Program
  • Stock options for all regular employees (working at least 20 hours/week)
  • Paid time off: up to four weeks per year based on weekly scheduled hours, and up to 14 company-paid holidays
  • Performance-based bonuses and other benefits dependent on role type and job level