Sr. Manager, Mission Operations Development

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 Blue National Security (BNS), where our focus is the design, development, and delivery of launch and spacecraft systems for national security missions. Through Blue Ring, our all-in-one, high-powered hybrid solar-electric and chemical-propelled spacecraft, we provide unmatched mission maneuverability, versatility, and capacity at dramatically lower-profile costs.

Blue National Security is pioneering the development, manufacturing, and operation of Blue Ring, a groundbreaking space-mobility platform that unlocks unparalleled access to any orbit and the freedom to maneuver between orbits at will. With Blue Ring, our customers are empowered to go anywhere, redefine mission flexibility, and pursue bold new concepts that were once beyond reach. If you’re energized by the idea of working with a platform capable of enabling missions without compromise, this is your moment to make history with us.  

As the Sr. Manager, Mission Operations Development, you will lead a team of Mission Operations Engineers who build, validate, and maintain operations plans and products to expand on-orbit capabilities for National Security, Civil, and Commercial customers. You will own the product baseline, including procedures, flight rules, telemetry displays, command sequences, and technical documents shared across every mission, plus mission-unique product sets layered on top. You will work closely with Systems Engineering to mature concepts of operations from early design through flight, and you will balance the staffing needs of several programs at once. The ideal candidate is a systems thinker who is passionate about spaceflight operations and adept at building and sustaining rigorous, streamlined development processes. You will also take a seat on console as a flight director during launch and early orbit operations. 

This position is based in Reston, VA (preferred) or Denver, CO. 

We are looking for someone to apply their vision, passion, technical expertise, leadership skills, and dedication to quality to positively impact safe spaceflight. Join us in enabling Blue Origin's vision of millions of people living and working in space to benefit Earth - passion for our mission is required! 

Responsibilities: 

• Directly manage a team of 5-15 Mission Operations Engineers supporting a mix of classified and unclassified missions 

• Own the development, configuration control, and maintenance of the Blue Ring operations product baseline, including procedures, flight rules, telemetry displays, command sequences, and operations documentation 

• Manage mission-unique product sets so each program gets what it needs while staying on a single common baseline. Maximize reuse and backward compatibility, and limit mission-unique content to what is truly unique to the mission. 

• Mature concepts of operations in concert with Systems Engineering, from early mission design through flight readiness 

• Resource-load Mission Operations Engineers across programs, forecast staffing against program schedules, and rebalance as priorities shift 

• Serve as an approver on ConOps, engineering, and operations review boards, including the Operations Review Board for ops products 

• Set priorities and schedules for ops product development, validation in hardware and software simulation environments, rehearsals, and flight 

• Establish standards for repeatable, cost-effective mission operations development and execution, continuously improve team performance, and build a culture of operational excellence 

• Drive efficiency in how operations products are built, validated, and released through automation, tooling, and simpler processes 

• Serve on console as a flight director for launch and early orbit operations, including shift work 

• Collaborate with flight vehicle subsystem teams, flight and ground software, Integration & Test, training, and customers 

• Cultivate an evolving, rightsized workforce. Oversee performance, merits, and promotions, and shepherd team members' careers through coaching, opportunity matching, and technical development. 

• Mentor and grow Mission Operations Engineers from early career through senior levels, including development of future flight directors and on-console leads 

• Dedication to building a cohesive team through leadership, problem-solving skills, and strong listening and communications skills 

• Provide technical expertise, ensuring that your team's deliverables meet domain quality standards 

• Benchmark the team's work standards and tools with other Blue Origin business units and industry practice 

• Provide basis-of-estimate and staffing inputs for new business pursuits 

Qualifications: 

Required: 

• B.S. in aerospace engineering, computer science, systems engineering, electrical engineering, physics, or related technical field 

• 2+ years of experience managing technical teams and/or leading functional groups, with responsibility for technical quality of work delivered, and career management of employees 

• 8+ years of experience in spacecraft operations development and execution, including real-time on-orbit support 

• Experience developing spacecraft operations products (procedures, flight rules, telemetry displays, scripts, technical documents) and managing them under configuration control 

• Experience supporting multiple missions or programs at once, with competing schedules and staffing demands 

• Experience developing or maturing spacecraft concepts of operations with Systems Engineering 

• Strong attention to detail and a record of improving processes for efficiency and reliability 

• Excellent written and verbal communications skills, including presenting to customers at milestone reviews 

• Ability to earn trust, maintain positive and professional relationships, and contribute to a culture of inclusion 

• Must be a U.S. citizen. 

• Ability to obtain and maintain a U.S. security clearance 

Desired: 

• Active TS/SCI security clearance 

• M.S. in space systems, aerospace engineering, computer science, or related technical field 

• Experience as a flight director or comparable real-time operations leadership role 

• Launch and early orbit operations experience 

• Experience with National Security space programs or a government spacecraft operations organization 

• Experience working on large complex programs with multiple partners 

• Command-and-control scripting in Python, SPELL, STOL, or similar, and familiarity with OpenC3/COSMOS 

• Operational readiness tests and rehearsals using HITL / SITL simulators 

• Operational fault and anomaly management, including familiarity with system safety analysis techniques (FHA, FMECA, FTA) 

• First principles knowledge of major spacecraft subsystems 

• Experience building ops automation and tooling that reduces labor in product development or real-time