Reliability Engineer, Satellite & Payloads

BLUE ORIGIN

. Serve as the hardware reliability technical focal point across spacecraft bus electronics, RF and optical payload hardware, avionics, EPS, propulsion electronics, GNC hardware, thermal-control hardware, structures and mechanisms, harnesses, connectors, and EEE parts .

Posted 9/29/2026full-timeUnited StatesSeniorLead💰 $144,179 - $219,522 per yearWebsite

Core Competencies

Role fit

Core Competencies

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Demonstrates expertise in hardware reliability engineering, focusing on spacecraft and payload systems, with a strong ability to derive and allocate reliability requirements and perform quantitative analyses. Proficient in FMEA/FMECA, fault-tree analysis, and reliability prediction methodologies, while effectively communicating technical risks and collaborating across multidisciplinary teams.

Highest-signal resume keywords

Reliability EngineeringFMEA/FMECAFault-Tree AnalysisReliability Block DiagramsQuantitative Reliability Prediction

ATS Keywords

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Applicant Tracking System Keywords

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Hard Skills

Reliability EngineeringFMEA/FMECAFault-Tree AnalysisReliability Block DiagramsQuantitative Reliability PredictionReliability MetricsDesign RobustnessReliability Demonstration PlansRisk CommunicationRequirements Derivation

Soft Skills

CollaborationCommunicationProblem-SolvingAnalytical ThinkingInterpersonal Skills

Tools & Technologies

DOORS/Next GenerationJiraWindchill/PLMPythonMATLABStatistical Analysis Software

Certifications & Qualifications

ASQ Certified Reliability Engineer

Industry Keywords

Spacecraft BusPayload HardwareAvionicsEPSPropulsion ElectronicsGNCThermal-Control HardwareLEO/MEO MissionsNASA-STD-8729.1MIL-STD-1629A

Tech Stack

Tools & technologies

Python

About the role

Key responsibilities & impact

Serve as the hardware reliability technical focal point across spacecraft bus electronics, RF and optical payload hardware, avionics, EPS, propulsion electronics, GNC hardware, thermal-control hardware, structures and mechanisms, harnesses, connectors, and EEE parts
Develop, maintain, and execute the TeraWave hardware reliability and maintainability approach across satellites, spacecraft bus systems, and RF and optical payload hardware
Derive and allocate quantitative reliability, availability, and mission-life requirements to spacecraft and payload hardware, LRUs, CCAs, EEE parts, mechanisms, harnesses, and critical hardware interfaces
Build and maintain reliability block diagrams, functional failure analyses, FMEAs/FMECAs, fault trees, critical-item lists, and single-point-failure assessments
Partner with system and hardware subsystem architects to improve design robustness through derating, redundancy, cross-strapping, isolation, protective circuitry, design margins, parts selection, and graceful degradation
Perform reliability predictions and sensitivity studies using component, test, supplier, and field/heritage data
Quantify reliability and availability impacts of satellite and payload hardware trades
Integrate radiation-induced failures, EEE part degradation, thermal and mechanical cycling, optical and RF degradation, mechanism wear, connector and harness failure modes, latent defects, and manufacturing variation into analyses
Define hardware reliability demonstration, growth, and verification plans; support qualification, acceptance, highly accelerated, environmental, life, and integrated hardware testing
Review requirements, schematics, drawings, interface-control documents, test plans, nonconformances, waivers, and supplier data for reliability impacts
Establish reliability metrics and evidence packages for program reviews, architecture closure, PBRs, design reviews, and flight-readiness decisions
Communicate technical and residual risk in decision-ready terms while balancing mission success, constellation availability, cost, schedule, producibility, and fleet operations
Support TeraWave, Blue Origin’s satellite communications network delivering high-speed connectivity through LEO/MEO satellite constellations

Requirements

What you’ll need

B.S. in electrical engineering, aerospace engineering, systems engineering, reliability engineering, applied mathematics/statistics, or a related technical field
7+ years of experience in reliability, systems, spacecraft, payload, avionics, or mission-assurance engineering for aerospace or another high-reliability product
Hands-on experience with FMEA/FMECA, fault-tree analysis, reliability block diagrams, critical-item management, or quantitative reliability prediction
Working knowledge of spacecraft bus and payload hardware, including avionics, EPS, propulsion electronics, GNC sensors and actuators, thermal-control hardware, structures and mechanisms, RF communications, or optical communications
Ability to derive clear, verifiable requirements and connect them to analysis, test, inspection, or demonstration evidence
Ability to work across hardware design, manufacturing, supplier, test, quality, and operations teams and present risk to technical and program leadership
Must be a U.S. citizen or national, U.S. permanent resident/current Green Card holder, or lawfully admitted into the U.S. as a refugee or granted asylum
Preferred: M.S. or Ph.D. in a relevant engineering or reliability discipline
Preferred: Experience with large satellite constellations, long-life LEO/MEO missions, fleet availability, or high-rate aerospace production
Preferred: Experience applying NASA-STD-8729.1, MIL-STD-1629A, ECSS dependability practices, or comparable reliability standards
Preferred: Experience with probabilistic methods, Monte Carlo analysis, Bayesian updating, reliability growth, accelerated-life testing, or physics-of-failure methods
Preferred: Familiarity with radiation effects, EEE parts assurance, derating, worst-case circuit analysis, EMI/EMC, harness design, and materials/process controls
Preferred: ASQ Certified Reliability Engineer or equivalent demonstrated expertise
Preferred: Experience with DOORS/Next Generation requirements systems, Jira, Windchill/PLM, Python, MATLAB, or statistical analysis software
Required background checks include Blue’s Standard Background Check; additional checks may apply to certain job profiles

Benefits

Comp & perks

Relocation provided
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
Up to four weeks of Paid Time Off per year based on weekly scheduled hours
Up to 14 company-paid holidays
Potential benefits and bonuses based on role type, job level, individual contributions, and company results; amounts and eligibility are not guaranteed