Principal Mechanisms Design Engineer - TeraWave

Overview: 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 TeraWave, a satellite communications network designed to deliver symmetrical data speeds of up to 6 Tbps anywhere on Earth. This network will service tens of thousands of enterprise, data center, and government users who require reliable connectivity for critical operations. Role As a Principal Opto-Mechanical Engineer at Blue Origin, you will lead the mechanical design for the optical heart of a communications terminal. You will be responsible for a telescope and precision pointing system that must maintain wavefront quality and angular stability in the harsh environment of space. You will own the physical system from concept and material selection through final assembly and validation. The Mission You will design and build the precision opto-mechanical systems at the core of a next-generation optical communications terminal. Your work will involve making critical design trades, managing key suppliers, and closing tolerance budgets to ensure the system achieves its unprecedented performance goals. Special Mentions Relocation assistance is available for this position Travel expectations: 10-15% travel may be required for vendor visits, design reviews, and test campaigns Responsibilities Opto-Mechanical Design Leadership: Lead the mechanical design of the telescope structure, incorporating precision alignment features, kinematic mounts, and athermal design principles Develop and close comprehensive tolerance budgets for Wavefront Error (WFE) and alignment stability, informed by STOP analysis in collaboration with optical design team Engineer robust solutions for straylight and ghost suppression, including baffle design, scatter control strategies, and optical coating specifications Author and manage contamination control plans and cleanliness procedures Ensure designs are optimized for manufacturability, assembly, and alignment (DFMA), defining all necessary tooling and Ground Support Equipment (GSE) Provide technical mentorship to junior engineers on the team Materials & Vendor Management Lead the development path and trade studies for mirror materials, evaluating CTE stability, specific stiffness, polishability, surface finish, and thermal performance Draft detailed Statements of Work (SOWs) for vendors, defining technical requirements and acceptance test criteria for optical components Manage vendor relationships, conduct design reviews, and analyze manufacturing and test data to ensure compliance Develop and maintain relationships with key suppliers in the optical manufacturing industry Structural-Thermal Integration Collaborate with the STOP analyst to define stiffness targets that mitigate jitter and gravity release effects Integrate thermal control hardware (thermal straps, heaters, radiators) and cable management solutions compatible with precision gimbal motion Perform hand calculations and preliminary FEA to rapidly validate design concepts and inform detailed analysis cycles Lead cross-functional technical reviews to ensure integrated system performance Verification & AI&T Support Plan and oversee environmental qualification tests, including thermal cycling, dimensional stability, and vibration testing Provide hands-on support for optical alignment, system integration, and metrology activities in the lab Refine designs based on straylight test data and validate the effectiveness of contamination control procedures during assembly Develop and document lessons learned to improve future designs