Senior Principal Software Engineer – Network Architecture, SDN

BLUE ORIGIN

. Define the strategic vision and architectural principles for TeraWave's hybrid space-ground transport network .

Posted 4/24/2026full-timeBay Area • California, Washington • 🇺🇸 United StatesSenior💰 $264,103 - $369,743 per yearWebsite

Tech Stack

Tools & technologies

CloudDistributed SystemsSwitching

About the role

Key responsibilities & impact

Define the strategic vision and architectural principles for TeraWave's hybrid space-ground transport network
Establish groundbreaking technical approaches for multi-hop routing, topology management, and fast-reroute strategies tailored for time-varying LEO constellations
Pioneer capacity modeling methodologies that translate raw RF link characteristics into industry-leading network-layer models
Define the architectural framework for a next-generation Software-Defined Networking (SDN) ecosystem managing centralized and distributed control planes
Establish the strategic direction for real-time Traffic Engineering (TE) and policy enforcement systems that optimize data flow across constrained satellite payloads and terrestrial backbones
Create the blueprint for programmable transport solutions enabling rapid deployment of new protocols and features
Establish the vision for a world-class observability stack using in-band and out-of-band telemetry for unparalleled packet-level visibility
Pioneer "Self-Healing" network principles where real-time telemetry feeds directly into SDN controllers for autonomous congestion management and fault isolation
Define methodologies for correlating flow-level tracing with link performance to ensure optimal efficiency across the constellation
Establish architectural principles for packet forwarding that survive the rigors of space, optimizing for latency and throughput under power-constrained environments
Direct cross-layer optimization strategy, aligning RF and Silicon teams to ensure seamless mobility across beams and satellites
Serve as the chief technical authority for networking across TeraWave, mentoring technical leaders and defining long-term hardware and software roadmaps

Requirements

What you’ll need

Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, or related field with 20+ years of experience in network architecture, large-scale distributed systems, or telecommunications
Recognized expertise in advanced routing protocols, BGP, IS-IS, OSPF, and Segment Routing (SRv6/SR-MPLS) in complex, high-scale environments
Distinguished track record of architecting SDN controllers and programmable data planes (P4, OpenFlow, or proprietary frameworks)
Authoritative knowledge of packet processing, ASIC/FPGA forwarding logic, and high-speed switching
Proven experience establishing architectural direction for satellite, wireless, or cloud-scale service provider networks
History of technical leadership influencing organizational strategy and direction
Outstanding analytical and problem-solving skills with demonstrated ability to solve unprecedented technical challenges
Exceptional technical written and verbal communication skills with the ability to communicate complex concepts to a variety of audiences
Experience with development in mission and safety-critical environments.

Benefits

Comp & perks

Medical, dental, vision, basic and supplemental life insurance
Paid parental leave
Short and long-term disability
401(k) with a company match of up to 5%
Education Support Program
Up to four (4) weeks paid time off per year based on weekly scheduled hours
Up to 14 company-paid holidays

ATS Keywords

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Applicant Tracking System Keywords

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Hard Skills & Tools

network architecturemulti-hop routingtopology managementTraffic Engineering (TE)Software-Defined Networking (SDN)packet processingadvanced routing protocolsBGPIS-ISOSPF

Soft Skills

analytical skillsproblem-solving skillstechnical leadershipcommunication skillsmentoringstrategic visionorganizational strategycollaborationinfluencingautonomous management