Senior System Architect – Optical Communications

BLUE ORIGIN

. Establish the end-to-end mission architecture, including wavelength selection, link geometry, autonomy and redundancy strategies, and initial allocations for size, weight, power, and thermal (SWaP-T) .

Posted 5/9/2026full-timeLos Angeles • California, Washington • 🇺🇸 United StatesSenior💰 $197,529 - $276,539 per yearWebsite

About the role

Key responsibilities & impact

Establish the end-to-end mission architecture, including wavelength selection, link geometry, autonomy and redundancy strategies, and initial allocations for size, weight, power, and thermal (SWaP-T)
Drive system-level trades for the terminal's aperture, converging on an optimal balance of link margin, pointing accuracy, throughput, structural stiffness, and thermal management
Flow down performance budgets to all subsystems (Optics, PAT, Modem, Electronics) with rigorous Interface Control Documents (ICDs) and calibration strategies
Integrate Structural-Thermal-Optical Performance (STOP) analysis into system budgets and define clear acceptance criteria for hardware verification and vendor Statements of Work (SOWs)
Support operations and manufacturing teams for high-volume production
Define the PAT concept of operations and control architecture, including the selection and design of the filters, acquisition scan patterns, and beacon strategies
Model, simulate, and allocate budgets for key performance parameters such as capture probability, acquisition timelines, residual jitter, and pointing loss to ensure link closure
Develop a validation strategy for PAT algorithms from simulation to advanced mirror materials
Define the modem and other electronic systems development plan
Ensure deterministic latency, fault tolerance, and resilience to radiation and other space environmental effects across all digital interfaces
Author and manage core systems engineering documents, including ICDs, requirements flow-down, and comprehensive verification and validation plans
Identify technical risks and maintain parallel risk-mitigation paths to protect project schedule and performance margin
Lead architecture reviews, present trade studies to stakeholders, and serve as the primary technical authority for the system design
Lead rapid prototyping efforts across hardware, electronics, and software systems to validate design concepts early, establishing agile development processes that balance speed with appropriate fidelity while maintaining rigorous documentation
Create effective feedback loops between prototype testing results and system design, coordinating cross-functional teams to integrate and test full-scale prototypes that align with system requirements and enable continuous refinement of the architecture.

Requirements

What you’ll need

Bachelor's degree in Systems Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Optical Engineering, or a related field with 7+ years of relevant experience (M.S./Ph.D. preferred)
End-to-end system design experience in high-throughput optical communications (free-space or fiber)
Mastery of optical link budget analysis, including pointing loss, atmospheric/diffraction effects, jitter coupling, and capture probability modeling
Demonstrated experience in designing and analyzing control systems (e.g., filters, scan strategies, beacon processing)
Familiar with FPGA/ASIC architectures, including SerDes interfaces, deterministic memory/DMA design, and high-speed data path considerations (FEC, framing, synchronization)
Proven systems engineering rigor in authoring ICDs, decomposing requirements, and developing verification plans for complex spaceflight or aerospace systems
Experience with radiation-tolerant design principles, including SEU mitigation and selection of radiation-tolerant components.

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
Stock Options for all regular employees (working at least 20 hours/week)
Paid Time Off: Up to four (4) weeks per year based on weekly scheduled hours, and up to 14 company-paid holidays.

ATS Keywords

✓ Tailor your resume

Applicant Tracking System Keywords

Tip: use these terms in your resume and cover letter to boost ATS matches.

Hard Skills & Tools

end-to-end system designoptical communicationsoptical link budget analysiscontrol systems designFPGA architectureASIC architecturedeterministic memory designverification plansradiation-tolerant designperformance budgets

Soft Skills

leadershiptechnical authorityrisk managementcross-functional coordinationcommunicationproblem-solvingagile developmentdocumentationfeedback integrationstakeholder presentation

Certifications

Bachelor's degree in Systems EngineeringBachelor's degree in Electrical EngineeringBachelor's degree in Optical EngineeringM.S. in related fieldPh.D. in related field