Senior Thermal Engineer – Constellations

Blue Origin•Littleton, CO

About The Position

Blue Origin is seeking a Senior Thermal Engineer for its Blue National Security business unit and Advanced Systems organization. The role leads thermal design and analysis for satellite payloads and integrated in-space constellation solutions, supporting reliable performance of high-power payload systems in low Earth orbit and other orbital regimes. The engineer will work across payload, mechanical, avionics, power, and systems engineering disciplines, and serve as a key technical authority for thermal systems. The work includes developing thermal architectures and models, establishing qualification and verification approaches, integrating thermal constraints into system designs, and balancing performance, mass, power, manufacturability, and cost for space and ground systems. The position supports multiple constellation and payload programs and contributes to design reviews, technical best practices, and mentoring. Relocation assistance is available for candidates moving to a primary Blue Origin office location. Travel of up to 25% may be required depending on work location and program needs.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering, aerospace engineering, physics, or a related field.
At least 7 years of experience in thermal engineering for aerospace systems and/or high-performance electronics.
Demonstrated experience with spaceborne thermal design, including vacuum environments, radiation heat transfer, and flight hardware qualification.
Experience with thermal modeling tools such as Thermal Desktop, SINDA/FLUINT, ANSYS Icepak, or equivalent.
Knowledge of materials, coatings, and thermal interface technologies suitable for space systems.
Familiarity with environmental standards such as NASA, ESA, and MIL-STD standards, and with qualification testing.
Exceptional communication skills and demonstrated ability to influence and guide multidisciplinary teams.
Ability and willingness to obtain and maintain a TS//SCI security clearance.
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.

Nice To Haves

Master's or PhD degree in mechanical engineering, aerospace engineering, physics, or a related field.
Active TS//SCI clearance.
Experience supporting capture and proposal efforts for new business opportunities, including contributing technical content and solutions to winning pursuits.
Background in space-based antenna systems or similar high-power payload systems.
Experience with thermal management of high-power-density electronics such as T/R modules, phased array apertures, or laser communication terminals.
Experience with advanced cooling techniques, including loop heat pipes, vapor chambers, and liquid cooling systems.
Experience on a proliferated LEO or other high-rate satellite program.
Experience with thermal cycling, ESS, or HALT-HASS-style screening, including safety-of-screen or damage accumulation analysis.

Responsibilities

Lead thermal design and analysis for satellite-based high-power payloads and associated power electronics.
Develop detailed thermal models using Thermal Desktop, SINDA/FLUINT, or equivalent tools, covering applicable conduction, radiation, and convection regimes.
Define and manage thermal interfaces across payload subsystems, including radiators, heat pipes, loop heat pipes, cold plates, and structural elements.
Perform transient and steady-state thermal analyses for mission profiles, including peak duty cycles, eclipse transitions, and worst-case environmental conditions.
Develop thermal architectures for common bus and payload configurations reused across production blocks, tailoring them for orbit plane, beta-angle range, and payload variant.
Select and justify thermal qualification, margin, and acceptance approaches based on build rate, mission class, and design life; tailor requirements to SMC-S-016 and MIL-STD-1540 as applicable.
Define thermal model correlation strategies under limited test data and extend correlated models across a production block.
Address LEO thermal-cycling fatigue over high cycle counts on joints, solder, thermal interface materials, and coatings across design life.
Drive design for manufacturability of thermal hardware at production rate, including MLI touch labor, coating repeatability, TIM dispensing, and heater and thermostat installation; use parametric or automated modeling workflows for rapid trades.
Evaluate COTS or commercial-grade thermal components where mission class permits, and manage heater power budgets as fleet-level EPS drivers while trading heater sizing against battery and solar-array mass.
Support design for demise and material selection for disposal casualty risk in accordance with ODMSP.
Assess manufacturability, cost, and schedule impacts of thermal hardware choices for production at scale.
Support thermal design and analysis concurrently across multiple constellation and payload programs, prioritizing work as schedules and design maturity change.
Collaborate with payload subject matter experts and mechanical, power, and systems engineering teams to integrate thermal constraints into payload layout and packaging.
Establish thermal requirements, margins, and verification plans aligned with mission reliability and lifetime goals.
Drive thermal design trades balancing performance, mass, power consumption, manufacturability, and cost for space and ground systems.
Contribute to major technical design reviews and serve as a key technical authority for the thermal system.
Mentor junior engineers and contribute to organizational best practices in thermal engineering.

Benefits

Medical, dental, and vision insurance.
Basic and supplemental life insurance.
Paid parental leave.
Short- and long-term disability.
401(k) with company match of up to 5%.
Education Support Program.
Stock options for all regular employees working at least 20 hours per week.
Up to four weeks of paid time off per year based on weekly scheduled hours.
Up to 14 company-paid holidays.
Depending on role type and job level, employees may be eligible for benefits and bonuses based on individual contributions and company results or other factors; amounts and eligibility are not guaranteed.
Relocation assistance for candidates relocating to a primary Blue Origin office location.