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 5,408 optically interconnected satellites in low Earth orbit (LEO) and medium Earth orbit (MEO), providing enterprise-grade connectivity for critical operations worldwide.
As a Test and Automation Engineer at Blue Origin, you will be a critical part of ensuring our advanced optical communication systems meet stringent performance and reliability requirements for space. You will be responsible for the full lifecycle of hardware verification, from planning and executing environmental test campaigns to developing the automated systems that acquire and analyze the data. This role is essential for validating our designs and enabling a smooth transition into production by creating a robust, data-driven verification framework.
Special Mentions
- Travel expectations: Up to 30% travel may be required for test campaigns at external facilities or other Blue Origin facilities.
- This role is also open for our Kent, WA location.
Responsibilities
- Plan and execute system-level environmental qualification campaigns, including thermal-vacuum (TVAC), random vibration, and shock testing to validate hardware survivability and performance.
- Develop and perform detailed tests to characterize key system performance metrics, such as Line-of-Sight (LOS) stability and optical quality, before and after environmental exposure.
- Develop, validate, and maintain automated test scripts for data acquisition (DAQ) and instrument control using languages like Python or LabVIEW to ensure repeatable and efficient test execution.
- Create and manage robust data reduction pipelines to efficiently process large datasets from test campaigns, converting raw sensor data into actionable performance summaries and visualizations.
- Conduct rigorous measurement uncertainty analysis for all key performance verification tests to establish clear pass/fail criteria, quantify test confidence, and inform design margins.
- Author comprehensive test plans, procedures, and detailed test reports.
- Contribute to reliability documentation and support failure investigations with data-driven root-cause analysis.
Minimum Qualifications
- BS in Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or a related technical field.
- 5+ years of hands‑on experience in a hardware test engineering role for complex systems (aerospace, defense, or equivalent).
- Direct experience planning and executing environmental tests, including vibration, shock, and/or thermal‑vacuum (TVAC).
- Proficiency in developing test automation scripts and data analysis routines using a programming language such as Matlab, Python (with libraries like NumPy, Pandas) or LabVIEW.
- Strong understanding of data acquisition systems (DAQ), sensors (accelerometers, thermocouples, etc.), and instrument control.
- Experience with formal documentation, such as authoring test plans, procedures, and reports.
Preferred Qualifications
- MS in a relevant engineering discipline.
- Experience testing optical or opto‑mechanical payloads and familiarity with performance metrics like LOS jitter or Wavefront Error (WFE).
- Knowledge of spaceflight quality standards and documentation practices (e.g., AS9100).
- Experience with statistical data analysis, measurement uncertainty budgets, and Gage R&R (GR&R) studies.
- Familiarity with structural and thermal analysis (FEA) and the ability to correlate test data with analytical models.