Principal Software Engineer - Networking Architecture and SDN - TeraWave

As a Principal Engineer for Network Architecture & SDN at TeraWave, you will be the primary architect behind the "brain" of our constellation, designing a dynamic, self-healing network that operates at orbital speeds across our multi-orbit constellation of 5,408 optically interconnected satellites. You will be solving for a topology that changes every second, managing inter-satellite links (ISLs) that move at 27,000 km/h, and ensuring seamless handoffs for users on the ground-all while maintaining strict power and latency budgets., * Lead the end-to-end design of a hybrid space-ground transport network

• Define technical strategy for multi-hop routing, topology management, and fast-reroute strategies tailored for time-varying LEO constellations
• Drive capacity modeling that translates raw RF link characteristics into high-performance network-layer models
• Architect a Software-Defined Networking (SDN) framework to manage centralized and distributed control planes
• Implement real-time Traffic Engineering (TE) and policy enforcement to optimize data flow across constrained satellite payloads and terrestrial backbones
• Design programmable transport solutions that allow for rapid deployment of new protocols and features
• Build a world-class observability stack using in-band and out-of-band telemetry for packet-level visibility
• Develop "Self-Healing" network logic where real-time telemetry feeds directly into SDN controllers for automated congestion management and fault isolation
• Correlate flow-level tracing with link performance to ensure peak efficiency across the constellation
• Design packet forwarding architectures that survive the rigors of space, optimizing for latency and throughput under power-constrained environments
• Lead cross-layer optimization efforts, working alongside RF and Silicon teams to ensure seamless mobility across beams and satellites
• Act as the technical authority for networking across TeraWave, mentoring senior staff and influencing long-term hardware and software roadmaps, 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

• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, or related field with 15+ years of experience in network architecture, large-scale distributed systems, or telecommunications
• Deep expertise in BGP, IS-IS, OSPF, and Segment Routing (SRv6/SR-MPLS) in complex, high-scale environments
• Proven track record of building or managing SDN controllers and programmable data planes (P4, OpenFlow, or proprietary frameworks)
• Deep understanding of packet processing, ASIC/FPGA forwarding logic, and high-speed switching
• Experience leading cross-domain architecture for satellite, wireless, or cloud-scale service provider networks
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills
• Excellent technical written and verbal communication skills
• Experience with development in mission and safety-critical environments, * MS/PhD in Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, or related field
• Direct experience with LEO/MEO satellite constellations or terrestrial/satellite hybrid networks
• Experience building large-scale telemetry pipelines and analytics for real-time network health
• Background in graph theory or dynamic topology optimization
• Track record of contributing to networking standards (IETF, IEEE) or open-source networking projects
• Experience with multi-orbit satellite constellation design and optimization
• Understanding of regulatory requirements for satellite communications systems
• Experience with model-based systems engineering (MBSE) tools and methodologies

• 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.
• 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.