Senior Mission Operations Engineer – TeraWave
- US citizenship
How this pay compares
This posting states $157k–$220k a year. Open mission operations engineer jobs in Virginia post a median of $127k a year, the middle half $109k–$142k, across 16 jobs that state their pay, so this one is above the middle half of what they post.
Mission and launch operations engineers in Virginia: pay by town and employer
About the job
## Application close date Applications will be accepted on an ongoing basis until the requisition is closed. 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! 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 optically interconnected satellites in low Earth orbit (LEO) and medium Earth orbit (MEO), providing enterprise-grade connectivity for critical operations worldwide.
As a Senior Mission Operations Engineer, you will ensure readiness to execute on-orbit TeraWave operations by contributing to ConOps development, preparing operations products, forming and leading on-console crews, and executing early on-orbit mission operations.
You will lead small teams of mission operations engineers in accomplishing these tasks throughout the program lifecycle, while also collaborating extensively with engineers from across the space and ground segments. As a result of your technical leadership, Blue Origin will field and efficiently operate game-changing new capabilities in space to serve a variety of customers.
The ideal candidate is a systems-thinker possessing a strong end-operator and customer focus, along with the persistence and passion to build space operations capabilities from the ground up. We are looking for someone to apply their technical expertise, leadership skills, and dedication to quality to positively impact TeraWave.
Passion for our mission and vision is required! ## Responsibilities include but are not limited to - Develop mission plans, operations concepts, tools, and processes that enable highly effective and labor-efficient real-time spacecraft and ground system operation through automation - Lead small teams in the development and implementation of detailed operations procedures, executables, telemetry displays, technical documentation, and other products. - Ensure deliverables meet applicable quality standards, while promoting maximum reuse and backward compatibility. - Conduct testing and validation of ops products using a variety of hardware and software simulation environments that span the space and ground domains. - Support systems engineering and other disciplines in developing a spacecraft concept of operations, ensuring efficiency and operability for the end-user. - Implement meaningful progress tracking to provide realistic completion forecasts and inform basis-of-estimates provided for new business pursuits. - Create detailed test procedures to validate end-to-end system capabilities. - Analyze and assess ground station selection for optimal communications availability. - Support communications spectrum licensing efforts through coordination with internal and external regulatory authorities. - Coordinate staffing for mission operations events and work with our training team to ensure certification of on-console personnel. - Support mission readiness activities including mission rehearsals, mission timeline development, and post-launch test development. - Provide real-time leadership during spacecraft launch and early orbit phase, including shift work, from Blue Origin’s mission control facilities in Texas and elsewhere. - Monitor spacecraft state-of-health across all subsystems, perform trending and analyses, and track spacecraft and ground system configurations. - Support the troubleshooting and resolution of on-orbit anomalies as part of an anomaly response team. - Foster continuous improvement by contributing, tracking, and implementing lessons-learned for the benefit of future missions. - Provide instruction and mentorship to early career engineers, building depth of expertise and capability within the mission operations engineering team. ## Minimum Qualifications - B.S. in Aerospace, Electrical, Computer Science, Systems, or related fields - 3+ years of experience managing technical teams. - 12+ years of proven experience in spacecraft operations development and execution, including real-time support for on-orbit operations in a flight director or comparable leadership role. - Extensive development of spacecraft operations products, including procedures, telemetry displays, scripts, and other technical documents. - Experienced in configuration and product data management. ## Preferred Qualifications - M.S. in Space Systems, Electrical Engineering, Computer Science, or Aerospace Engineering - Direct support for a commercial or government spacecraft operations organization, as well as a deep understanding of their use cases and approach to operations. - Proficiency with command-and-control scripting languages, such as Python, SPELL, STOL, or JAS - Experience working with virtualized Ground Software (e.g., Command & Control, Mission Planning, Flight Dynamics, Electronic Procedures, Software Simulators) - Experience with mission planning and contact planning tools. - Experience with scrum methodology and agile product development. - Experience in full development lifecycle of space systems’ ground segments. - Mission analysis, flight planning and timeline development (tool and analysis) - Experience designing and evaluating operational readiness tests integrated with hardware-in-the-loop, and software-in-the-loop simulators. - Experience with operational fault and anomaly management. - Experience with performing system safety analyses including Functional Hazard Assessments (FHA), Failure Modes, Effects and Criticality Analyses (FMECA), and Fault Tree Analysis (FTA) - Excellent verbal and written communications skills, including ability to make persuasive presentations to external customers at gated milestone reviews. - Ability to earn trust, build positive professional relationships ## Base Pay Range for VA applicants is $156,802.00 - $219,522.45 WA applicants is $156,802.00 - $219,522.45 ## Culture Statement Don’t meet all desired requirements?
Studies have shown that some people are less likely to apply to jobs unless they meet every single desired qualification. At Blue Origin, we are dedicated to building an authentic workplace, so if you’re excited about this role but your past experience doesn’t align perfectly with every desired qualification in the job description, we encourage you to apply anyway.
You may be just the right candidate for this or other roles. ## Export Control Regulations Applicants for employment at Blue Origin must be a U.S. citizen or national, U.S. permanent resident (i.e. current Green Card holder), or lawfully admitted into the U.S. as a refugee or granted asylum. ## Background Check - Required for all positions: Blue’s Standard Background Check - Required for Certain Job Profiles: Defense Biometric Identification System (DBIDS) background check if at any time the role requires one to be on a military installation - Required for Certain Job Profiles: Drivers who operate Commercial Motor Vehicles with a Gross Vehicle Weight (GVW), Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR) or combination of power unit and trailer that meets or exceeds 10,001 lbs. and/or transports placardable amounts of hazardous materials by ground in any vehicle on a public road while in commerce, may be subject to additional Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations including: Driver Qualification Files, Medical Certification (obtained before onboarding), Road Test, Hours of Service, Drug and Alcohol Testing, vehicle inspection requirements, CDL requirements (if applicable) and hazardous materials transportation/shipping training. - Required for certain Job Profiles: Ability to obtain and maintain Merchant Mariner Credential, which include
From Blue Origin's job posting, checked 7 Nov 2026. The employer's own page is the final word on requirements and availability.
Selected agencies hiring now
Contract Professionals Inc (CPI)Engineering and technical staffing agency
Aerospace and defense staffing firm in Waterford, Michigan, placing engineers, maintenance technicians, mechanics, welders and CNC machinists.
Places: Propulsion, Mechanical, Avionics, RF & Payloads
These agencies and apps pay SpaceJobs.Now a referral fee when someone we introduce is placed or signs up. It costs you nothing and never changes your pay. Employers' own jobs below keep their own order.
Sponsored jobs from job networks, which pay SpaceJobs.Now when you click one.
Free tools for this application: check your resume against this job, answer the application's questions or see every free tool.
New launch and mission operations jobs in Virginia, by email
One email a week with the newest ones, straight from the employers' own careers sites, with the pay each posting states. Free, stop anytime.
About Blue Origin
Builds the New Shepard and New Glenn rockets and the Blue Moon lunar lander.
Pay on its listings: 65.5% of its open jobs state an hourly rate
How it pays: Paid as an employee on Blue Origin's own payroll (salaried or hourly, as each posting states).
More open jobs at Blue Origin
- Additive Manufacturing Production Engineer – Materials & Processes (LPBF)$121,023–$169,432/yr
- Analyst - Config & Data Management II$84,198–$117,876/yr
- Autonomy Software Systems Engineer Sr – New Glenn$144,179–$201,850/yr
- Change and Configuration Data Manager (Top Secret / SCI Required)$91,852–$128,592/yr
- CNC Machinist (BE-4 Engines)
- Dimensional Inspector & Programmer - (Night Shift)$27.67–$38.73/hr
More launch and mission operations jobs
- Mission Operations Engineer I$80,000–$95,000/yr
- 人工衛星 射場作業責任者(Launch Site Operations)
- Satellite Network Operations Engineer$130,000–$175,000/yr
- Space Vehicle and Operations Engineer
- Solution Platform Lead (M/F)
- System Development Engineer, Leo Network Services$122,600–$185,000/yr
Run launches or flown spacecraft?
One profile for every employer here. Space companies and their recruiters ask us for people with a specific degree, clearance, specialty or location: add yours once, and when a job fits, we introduce you, only with your yes. Free.
Blue Origin openings, sent to you weekly
Each week we send the newest postings from Blue Origin's own careers site, along with similar openings at other space employers. It costs nothing and you can stop anytime.