Oasis-1 Mission Design / Trajectory Design Engineer III

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!  

This role is part of Advanced Concepts and Enterprise Engineering (ACE), supporting Blue Origin’s mission of millions of people living and working in space for the benefit of Earth. The team fosters innovation and drives engineering workflows of the future, shared solutions and standards, simplicity and lower costs, and manufacturable design.

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! This role is part of Advanced Concepts and Enterprise Engineering (ACE), supporting Blue Origin’s mission of millions of people living and working in space for the benefit of Earth. The team fosters innovation and drives engineering workflows of the future, shared solutions and standards, simplicity and lower costs, and manufacturable design.

We believe that to preserve our planet, humanity must expand beyond our current limits, venturing into space to explore and harness new energy and material resources. In pursuit of this vision, we invite you to join our Space Resources Program. The Space Resources Program encompasses multiple projects; in this role, you will contribute to the current Oasis-1 effort and future initiatives. We’re dedicated to developing and demonstrating Prospecting and In Situ Resource Utilization (ISRU) technologies for the Moon, Mars, and beyond. If our mission resonates with you and you are eager to contribute, you could be the perfect addition to our collaborative, open-minded, and forward-thinking team.

The pace at Blue Origin is brisk, with rapid cycles of design, analysis, and integration aimed at delivering scalable solutions. We need someone who is adaptable, proactive, eager to learn, and uncompromising on safety and quality. Creativity, a spirit of innovation, and the ability to manage changing requirements are key to thriving on our inclusive, open-minded, and forward-thinking team. Passion for our mission is required!

Key Responsibilities and Core Deliverables:

• Trajectory design and mission planning

  • Design reference trajectories for cislunar operations including trans-lunar injection, lunar orbit insertion, station-keeping, and disposal; develop trajectory options that satisfy propellant, timing, lighting, and communication constraints.

  • Deliver baseline trajectory designs, ΔV budgets, maneuver plans, launch window analyses, and mission timeline documentation.

• Orbit analysis and lunar environment modeling

  • Characterize and model lunar orbital dynamics including third-body perturbations, spherical harmonics, solar radiation pressure, and station-keeping requirements for NRHO, DRO, frozen orbits, and low lunar orbit (LLO).

  • Deliver orbit stability analyses, long-term propagation studies, eclipse/lighting analyses, and ground station visibility reports.

• Simulation and Monte Carlo analysis

  • Build and maintain trajectory simulation environments in STK and MATLAB; perform Monte Carlo dispersion analyses to bound navigation and maneuver execution errors; generate statistical trajectory envelopes for mission planning.

  • Deliver trajectory simulation tools, dispersion analyses, covariance studies, and sensitivity analyses with documented assumptions and validation.

• Maneuver planning and optimization

  • Design deterministic and statistical maneuver strategies (TCMs, LOI, station-keeping burns); optimize maneuver placement and sizing for fuel efficiency and operational robustness; develop contingency trajectory options.

  • Perform conjunction and collision avoidance analysis

  • Perform end-of-life controlled disposal analysis

  • Deliver maneuver sequence plans, fuel consumption analyses, trajectory correction strategies, and contingency/abort trajectory documentation.

• Navigation support and orbit determination

  • Collaborate with GNC to define navigation accuracy requirements; provide a priori trajectory knowledge for onboard propagation; support orbit determination campaigns with predicted ephemeris and covariance inputs.

  • Deliver OD support products, ephemeris files (SPK/OEM), covariance handoffs, and navigation accuracy assessments.

  • Conduct post-flight orbit reconstruction; validate spacecraft trajectory accuracy and assess maneuver execution performance.

• Tool development and automation

  • Develop MATLAB scripts, STK scenarios, and automation tools for trajectory generation, analysis, and visualization; maintain configuration-controlled toolsets; validate tools against independent references (GMAT, JPL tools).

  • Deliver validated trajectory analysis tools, user documentation, regression test suites, and tool validation reports.

• Requirements, verification, and reviews

  • Define trajectory-related requirements (ΔV allocation, orbit accuracy, timeline margins); develop verification approaches for trajectory performance; maintain traceability to mission and system requirements.

  • Deliver trajectory requirements, verification matrices, analysis results, and trajectory content for gated reviews (SRR/PDR/CDR/MRR).

• Cross-functional collaboration

  • Coordinate with GNC, Flight Dynamics, Mission Operations, Propulsion, Power, and Communications teams to ensure trajectory designs meet subsystem constraints; support launch vehicle interface definition and separation state analyses.

  • Deliver interface agreements, trajectory inputs to subsystem teams, and contributions to integrated mission planning.

Minimum Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree in aerospace engineering, astrodynamics, physics, applied mathematics, or related field.

• 3+ years of experience in trajectory design, mission design, or flight dynamics for spacecraft missions.

• Demonstrated proficiency in orbital mechanics, including two-body and three-body dynamics, orbit perturbations, and maneuver planning.

• Hands-on experience with STK (including Astrogator) for trajectory design, analysis, and visualization.

• Strong MATLAB proficiency for trajectory simulation, Monte Carlo analysis, optimization, and tool development.

• Experience with cislunar or multi-body trajectory design; familiarity with NRHO, DRO, halo orbits, or other libration point orbits.

• Knowledge of orbit determination concepts and navigation/trajectory interfaces.

• Experience defining trajectory requirements and supporting formal review processes.

• Strong collaboration skills; ability to translate trajectory constraints into actionable inputs for cross-functional teams.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Master's or Ph.D. in astrodynamics, orbital mechanics, or related field; 5+ years of relevant experience.

• Flight experience supporting lunar or interplanetary missions (trajectory design, maneuver planning, or flight dynamics operations).

• Proficiency with GMAT, MONTE, or JPL mission design tools; experience validating trajectories across independent tools.

• Depth in trajectory optimization methods (direct/indirect, collocation, differential correction, continuation methods).

• Experience with low-thrust trajectory design and optimization.

• Familiarity with CCSDS standards for ephemeris products (OEM, AEM) and navigation data interfaces.

• Experience generating trajectory products for launch vehicle providers and coordinating separation state definitions.

• Operations experience supporting real-time maneuver planning, trajectory reconstruction, or anomaly resolution.

 

Compensation Range for:

CA applicants is $121,023.00 - $169,432.20

Other site ranges may differ

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 (CDL drivers only), 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 includes pre-employment and random drug testing as well as DOT physical

Benefits

• Benefits include:  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%, and an 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.

• Dependent on role type and job level, employees may be eligible for benefits and bonuses based on the company's intent to reward individual contributions and enable them to share in the company's results, or other factors at the company's sole discretion. Bonus amounts and eligibility are not guaranteed and subject to change and cancellation. Please check with your recruiter for more details.

Equal Employment Opportunity

Blue Origin is proud to be an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer and is committed to attracting, retaining, and developing a highly qualified and dedicated work force. Blue Origin hires and promotes people on the basis of their qualifications, performance, and abilities. We support the establishment and maintenance of a workplace that fosters trust, equality, and teamwork. We provide all qualified applicants for employment and employees with equal opportunities for hire, promotion, and other terms and conditions of employment, regardless of their race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin/ethnicity, age, physical or mental disability, genetic factors, military/veteran status, or any other status or characteristic protected by federal, state, and/or local law. Blue Origin will consider for employment qualified applicants with criminal histories in a manner consistent with applicable federal, state, and local laws, including the Washington Fair Chance Act, the California Fair Chance Act, the Los Angeles Fair Chance in Hiring Ordinance, and other applicable laws. For more information on “Know Your Rights,” please see here.

Affirmative Action and Disability Accommodation

Applicants wishing to receive information on Blue Origin’s Affirmative Action Plans, or applicants requiring a reasonable accommodation in order to participate in the application and/or interview process, please contact us at [email protected]. Please note this is a publicly managed inbox. Please do not include any personal medical information in your request.