The role is part of the In-Space Systems business unit, which is focused on development, manufacturing, and operation of satellite systems to address one of the most compelling challenges in spaceflight today: space mobility. As part of a hardworking team of diverse engineers, you will contribute to defining and developing spacecraft thermal control systems. The Sr. Thermal Spacecraft Engineer is an individual contributor within Blue Origin’s In-Space Systems Business Unit – Blue Ring Platform. You should be comfortable working in a fast-paced and often uncertain environment, contributing to innovative solutions, while demonstrating personal leadership, technical competence, and attention to detail. 

Special Mentions

• Relocation provided

• Travel expected up to 25% of the time

Responsibilities include but are not limited to:

• Drives the development of thermal systems, including system architecture definition, thermal system modeling, component sizing, and design.
• Perform trade studies relating to the selection of material and subsystem hardware.
• Perform hand calculations to screen concepts without detailed modeling and to sanity check finite element model results.
• Develop vehicle-level thermal models using SINDA/FLUINT with Thermal Desktop.
• Develop and maintain system analysis documentation.
• Perform steady state & transient thermal analysis of spacecraft thermal systems and tracking system performance in ground ops, TVAC testing, launch, Earth orbit, and beyond Earth orbit environments.
• Provide thermal engineering leadership & support for the development of thermal vacuum (TVAC) test procedures, scripts, and installation designs.
• Provide thermal engineering leadership & support for thermal hardware procurement, planning, procedural & operations support of Spacecraft assembly, integration & test (AI&T) efforts.

Minimum Qualifications:

• Minimum of a B.S. degree in mechanical or aerospace engineering.
• Proven understanding of thermal fundamentals.
• Design, analysis, and testing of spacecraft thermal systems experience.
• Proficient in Thermal analysis, specifically in Thermal Desktop and Sinda/Fluint, including model validation and test correlation.
• Ability to earn trust, maintain positive and professional relationships, and contribute to a culture of inclusion.
• 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 Qualifications:

• Successful candidates typically have 8 years of relevant proven experience crafting, analyzing, and testing spacecraft thermal systems.
• M.S. degree in mechanical or aerospace engineering
• Experience solving various thermal-fluid problems, demonstrating breadth in analysis application.
• Proficiency in programming languages (e.g., Python, C/C ).
• Depth of experience in one or more of the following areas:
  • Thermal Vacuum test planning and execution
    • Spacecraft/payload thermal analysis
  • Active or Passive Thermal Control System
  • Spacecraft Thermal hardware design, installation & testing
  • Thermal hardware such as radiators, Multi-Layer Insulation (MLI), heaters, thermostats, pumps, valves, sensors, thermostats, heat pipes, ablative materials, sublimators, and phase change materials
  • Spacecraft Thermal system on-orbit operations support