Meteorologist Senior (IV) – New Glenn

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 supports the development and operations of New Glenn, a single-configuration, heavy-lift orbital launch vehicle capable of routinely carrying people and payloads to low-Earth orbit, geostationary transfer orbit, cislunar, and beyond. Its first stage is fully reusable, and the vehicle was designed from the beginning to be human-capable.

This role supports the development and operations of New Glenn, a single-configuration, heavy-lift orbital launch vehicle capable of routinely carrying people and payloads to low-Earth orbit, geostationary transfer orbit, cislunar, and beyond. Its first stage is fully reusable, and the vehicle was designed from the beginning to be human-capable.

As a Chief Meteorologist for New Glenn, you will provide mission-ready weather analysis, nowcasting, and recommendations to enable safe, compliant, and efficient launch operations. You will be a core member of the launch team, responsible for forecasts and GO/NO GO recommendations that directly inform the Launch Director’s decisions for launch, recovery, and associated operations.

You will share in the team’s impact across all phases of a launch campaign, including pre-campaign planning, daily forecasting, countdown support, real-time nowcasting, recovery support, and post-mission verification and continuous improvement.

We are looking for someone to apply their technical expertise, operational judgment, and dedication to quality to positively impact safe human spaceflight. Passion for our mission and vision is required.

Responsibilities:

• Serve as the primary Launch Weather Officer for assigned New Glenn launch and recovery campaigns.
• Provide synoptic and mesoscale forecasts for the launch site, ascent corridor, and recovery zones, as well as for travel to and from operational work sites.
• Develop and deliver mission-focused weather briefings that enable GO/NO GO decisions with agreed confidence levels for each hold point and decision gate.
• Nowcast during countdown, including:
  • Continuous monitoring of radar, satellite, lightning networks, surface towers, field mills, ceilometers, radiosonde data, wave and wind measurements, and other site instrumentation.
  • Real-time assessment of Launch Commit Criteria (LCC) and applicable launch weather rules.
  • Clear, timely GO/NO GO recommendations to the Launch Director (LD) and Range stakeholders.
• Calculate, track, and present Forecast Accuracy Scores (FAS) for key weather constraints and for overall launch windows; maintain and improve the FAS methodology.
• Issue operational weather advisories relevant to ground operations and flight (e.g., lightning, high winds, heavy precipitation, low visibility, sea state) to protect personnel, hardware, and mission timelines.
• Coordinate with external partners (e.g., range weather authority, airspace/ATC partners, 45th Weather Squadron) to align on constraints, share data, and maintain a common operating picture.
• Support launch readiness reviews and key milestones (e.g., FRR, L-3/L-2/L-1 briefs, countdown holds) with structured, decision-oriented weather products and risk assessments.
• Perform quality control (QC) of Terminal Doppler and other radar/wind products (TDRWP QC) and ensure data integrity for operational use.
• Oversee operational weather balloon activities, including launch planning, troubleshooting, and inventory management for radiosondes and consumables.
• Conduct post-launch and post-campaign verification:
  • Compare forecast vs. observed conditions by constraint.
  • Document forecast performance, unanticipated impacts, and lessons learned.
  • Recommend updates to procedures, tools, and rules based on findings.
• Contribute to long-range and seasonal outlooks supporting mission campaign planning, within the scope of operational needs.
• Maintain compliance with all applicable launch weather rules, licensing requirements, and internal standards for documentation and decision logging.
• Support development, validation, and continuous improvement of tools, visualization suites, and standard forecast/briefing formats.
• Participate in a rotation that provides coverage during peak campaign days (often 12-14 hours/day) and off-nominal operations, including nights, weekends, and holidays as required by the launch schedule.

Minimum Qualifications:

• Minimum of a B.S. degree in Meteorology, Atmospheric Science, or a closely related field.
• 4+ years of professional experience in operational weather forecasting in high-consequence environments (e.g., launch/range operations, aviation, military, or severe weather operations).
• Demonstrated skill in mesoscale analysis and nowcasting, including interpretation of:
  • Weather radar and satellite imagery
  • Lightning detection networks
  • Surface and upper-air observations, including radiosondes
• Experience applying structured weather rules or constraints (e.g., lightning launch commit criteria, wind and cloud rules, icing/turbulence thresholds) to support operational GO/NO GO decisions.
• Proven ability to deliver concise, decision-oriented briefings to technical and non-technical stakeholders under time pressure.
• Experience using numerical weather prediction models and ensembles, and synthesizing conflicting guidance into a coherent forecast and confidence statement.
• Strong written documentation skills for forecasts, advisories, and post-event analyses.
• Ability and willingness to work non-standard hours, including nights, weekends, and holidays, and to support extended launch countdowns and windows (12+ hours) while managing fatigue risk.
• Ability to take ownership of work, operate under minimal direction, and function effectively in a multi-disciplinary launch control environment.
• Must be able to satisfy U.S. export control requirements as described in the Export Control Regulations section below.

Preferred Qualifications:

• 6+ years of experience as an operational meteorologist supporting launch operations, military test ranges, aviation hubs, or equivalent high-tempo, high-stakes environments.
• Experience supporting space launch operations or range weather operations (e.g., Eastern/Western Range, DoD/USSF ranges, commercial spaceports).
• Strong familiarity with coastal and maritime weather phenomena (e.g., sea breeze circulations, deep convection, anvil debris, low-level wind shear, icing aloft, sea state) in subtropical environments.
• Experience with lightning safety and launch commit criteria, electric-field mill networks, and integration of multiple lightning detection systems into operations.
• Background in forecast verification and performance metrics (e.g., design and implementation of FAS or similar scoring), including use of scripting or analysis tools (e.g., Python, MATLAB, R) to generate statistics and reports.
• Experience conducting or QC’ing weather balloon/radiosonde operations in support of launch or aviation, including upper-level wind and thermodynamic profiling.
• Familiarity with common meteorological data and visualization systems, such as AWIPS-like platforms, range weather systems, or equivalent proprietary tools.
• Knowledge of systems engineering and operations concepts, including configuration control, standard operating procedures, and change management for operational rules and tools.
• Demonstrated ability to collaborate with multi-disciplinary teams (e.g., Launch Director, Range Safety, GNC, Mission Assurance, FAA/ATC) and to act as a single authoritative voice on weather in critical forums.

Compensation Range for:

WA applicants is $145,188.00 – $203,263.20

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.

• 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 [email protected]. Please note this is a publicly managed inbox. Please do not include any personal medical information in your request.

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ITAR Requirements
To conform to U.S. Government commercial space technology export regulations, including the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR), 8 U.S.C. § 1324b(a)(3), applicants for employment at Blue Origin must be a U.S. citizen or national, lawfully admitted for permanent residence into the U.S. (i.e. current green card holder), or lawfully admitted as a refugee or granted asylum under 8 U.S.C. § 1157-1158. Learn more about the ITAR here.
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, diverse, 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, in which all employees recognize and appreciate the diversity of individual team members. 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, gender, 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. For more information on “EEO Is the Law,” please see here and here.
Affirmative Action and Disability Accommodation
Applicants wishing to view a copy of 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 at [email protected].