Principal Software Engineer - TeraWave Core Network Services

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!

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As a Principal Software Engineer for TeraWave Core Network Services, you will architect and build the foundational software layer that manages, routes, and controls Blue Origin's dynamic, 5,000+ satellite mesh network in real-time. As a founding member of the Core Services team, you will be responsible for the Control Plane that orchestrates the entire network, ensuring stability, low-latency performance, and self-healing capabilities as satellites orbit and hand off data across the constellation. This role requires deep expertise in distributed systems, database architecture, and management and control plane design to construct the distributed brain of a space-based internet service provider at unprecedented scale.

Responsibilities include but are not limited to:

• Architect and implement highly available, low-latency control plane services using microservices patterns to handle subscriber provisioning, session management, and real-time network orchestration across the TeraWave constellation
• Build and maintain stateful distributed services that operate seamlessly across terrestrial data centers and orbital nodes, ensuring reliable coordination across the full network topology
• Develop and optimize database schemas across SQL, NoSQL, and time-series data stores to track and process billions of telemetry points generated by the satellite network
• Design distributed systems solutions incorporating consensus algorithms and message broker technologies to ensure consistent and reliable network state management at scale
• Lead technical decision-making for core network services architecture, balancing performance, reliability, and scalability requirements of a global satellite communications system
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams across ground systems, spacecraft, and network engineering to ensure seamless integration of core services within the broader TeraWave infrastructure
• Drive best practices in distributed systems design, ensuring the network remains self-healing and highly available under dynamic orbital and operational conditions
• Contribute to the definition of technical standards, software development methodologies, and architectural patterns for the Core Services team

Minimum Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Software Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or related technical field
• 8+ years of software development experience for a Senior role, or 12+ years for a Principal role, with a focus on complex distributed systems or network services
• Expert-level proficiency in C++, Rust, or Go for high-performance, low-latency systems development
• Deep experience with consensus algorithms such as Raft or Paxos, distributed caching, and message broker technologies including Kafka and gRPC
• Demonstrated ability to design and build stateful distributed systems operating across multiple geographic or logical domains
• Strong understanding of database design principles across relational, NoSQL, and time-series data stores for high-throughput workloads
• Proven ability to collaborate effectively with cross-functional engineering teams in a complex, matrix organization
• Excellent communication skills with the ability to translate complex technical concepts to a variety of audiences

Preferred Qualifications:

• Master's degree or higher in Computer Science, Software Engineering, or related field
• Experience with cloud-native architecture including microservices design and deployment within containerized environments using Kubernetes on EKS, AKS, or bare-metal infrastructure
• Background with service mesh technologies such as Istio or Linkerd and service discovery mechanisms in highly dynamic, multi-region environments
• Expert knowledge of distributed system resiliency patterns including circuit breakers, retry strategies with exponential backoff, and bulkhead isolation targeting five-nines availability
• Experience building reactive, asynchronous systems using event-sourcing or CQRS patterns to manage high-velocity network state changes
• Proficiency with observability tooling for high-cardinality monitoring and distributed tracing, including Prometheus, Jaeger, or OpenTelemetry
• Background in telecommunications, satellite communications, or space systems software development
• History of successfully delivering foundational software platforms for large-scale, mission-critical distributed systems under challenging constraints

Compensation Range for:

CA applicants is $230,773.00 - $323,081.85 WA applicants is $230,773.00 - $323,081.85

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 View email address on click.appcast.io. Please note this is a publicly managed inbox. Please do not include any personal medical information in your request.