Mission Simulation Engineer III

About the role

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.

Responsibilities

• Take a lead role in implementing, maintaining, and continuously improving the TeraWave integrated mission simulation model within the integrated systems modelling team.
• Develop and maintain high-fidelity orbital mechanics models including orbit propagation, constellation geometry, station-keeping maneuvers, and coverage analysis.
• Develop and apply orbit optimization methodologies to maximize coverage, capacity, and payload utilization while minimizing constellation system cost and operational complexity.
• Develop and integrate beam assignment and payload scheduling models that reflect realistic antenna patterns, coverage footprints, and link performance constraints across both RF and optical link domains.
• Develop simulation capabilities for both inter-satellite links (ISL) and ground-to-space links, spanning RF and optical link types, including link budget and availability modeling.
• Develop traffic routing and load utilization models that simulate end-to-end data flow across the constellation under realistic and stressing demand scenarios.
• Model constellation deployment phases and build-up timelines to support program planning, architecture trades, and early operations analysis.
• Collaborate with fleet management, mission operations, payload, power, network, and GNC engineering teams to ensure simulation inputs and fidelity levels are consistent with subsystem designs and interface definitions.
• Engage with the GNC team to ensure orbital mechanics modeling assumptions, attitude control constraints, and maneuver planning are accurately reflected within the integrated simulation framework.
• Partner with systems engineering teams to define and validate constellation-level performance requirements through simulation-based analysis.
• Define and support simulation verification and validation approaches, including benchmarking against analytical models, heritage data, and in-orbit telemetry as it becomes available.
• Develop workflows and tooling to support parametric trade studies and sensitivity analyses that directly inform constellation architecture and design decisions.
• Partner with business and product teams to translate simulation outputs — including coverage availability, capacity margins, and service continuity metrics — into inputs that drive revenue modeling and define viable commercial service tiers and offerings.
• Communicate simulation methodology, assumptions, and results clearly to both technical and non-technical stakeholders through written reports, presentations, and data visualizations.
• Maintain simulation software infrastructure including version control, documentation, and regression testing frameworks.
• Lead root cause investigations when simulation predictions deviate from test or on-orbit data, and drive model updates accordingly.
• Contribute to team growth through supporting hiring efforts, identifying capability gaps, and mentoring junior simulation and systems engineers.

Requirements

• Minimum of a master's degree in aerospace engineering, systems engineering, applied mathematics, or equivalent technical field.
• 5+ years of related experience (including graduate work) in spacecraft systems engineering, mission analysis, or constellation simulation, with demonstrated hands-on expertise in astrodynamics and orbital mechanics.
• Proficiency in simulation development and scripting tools such as Python, MATLAB, or C++, with experience building and maintaining complex multi-physics or multi-domain models.
• Experience developing or integrating simulation models spanning at least two of the following domains: orbital mechanics, RF or optical link performance, spacecraft power systems, or network traffic modeling.
• Familiarity with satellite link budget analysis, beam coverage modeling, and payload performance metrics across RF and optical communications links.
• Working knowledge of spacecraft power system fundamentals including solar array performance, battery modeling, and power mode management.
• Ability to read and interpret interface control documents, systems requirements documents, and engineering specifications across multiple disciplines.
• Ability to perform data analysis and reduction and present technical information in a clear and compelling visual format.

Qualifications

• Minimum qualifications include a master's degree in aerospace engineering, systems engineering, applied mathematics, or equivalent technical field, with 5+ years of related experience.
• Preferred qualifications include 10+ years in spacecraft mission analysis, constellation systems engineering, or integrated simulation development for non-spacecraft systems of similar complexity.
• Experience with orbit optimization methods and their application to large-scale constellation design, including coverage optimization, phasing strategies, and cost-driven architecture trades.
• Familiarity with satellite network routing architectures including inter-satellite links (ISL), ground station connectivity, and traffic management protocols.
• Experience modeling constellation deployment sequences, launch campaign planning, and incremental capability build-up.
• Leadership or management experience as well as a history of mentoring junior engineers.
• A Ph.D. in aerospace engineering, applied mathematics, or a closely related field with a thesis topic relevant to astrodynamics, mission analysis, or satellite systems simulation.
• A strong safety demeanor and experience working within rigorous engineering processes.
• Excellent verbal, written, and graphical communication skills.
• Ability to work collaboratively in a fast-paced, dynamic work environment.