Spacecraft Thermal Engineering Lead - Lunar Permanence

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 is part of the Lunar Permanence business unit, which develops Blue Origin’s Blue Moon landers and related products. To further Blue Origin’s mission of millions of people living and working in space for the benefit of Earth, we are building sustainable infrastructure for our transport of crew and cargo from Earth to the lunar surface.

In this position, you will work directly with NASA as part of the Human Landing System (HLS) Sustaining Lunar Development (SLD) program. You will play a key role as a Thermal Mechanical Engineer developing the systems that will return humans to the Moon and extend human presence permanently beyond the bounds of Earth! We are looking for someone to apply their technical expertise, leadership skills, and dedication to quality to build the road to space.

Passion for our mission and vision is required!

• Drive the development of thermal systems including system architecture definition, thermal system modeling, component sizing, and design.
• Perform trade studies relating to selection of material and subsystem hardware.
• Perform hand calculations to screen concepts without detailed modeling and to sanity check finite element difference 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 as well as tracking of 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 design, documentation (drawings and model based designs), procurement, planning, procedural & operations support of Spacecraft assembly, integration & test (AI&T) efforts.

• Minimum of a B.S. degree in mechanical or aerospace engineering.
• Solid understanding of thermal physics fundamentals.
• 7+ years of relevant experience in design, analysis, and test of spacecraft thermal systems.
• Experience in thermal analysis, including model validation and test correlation.
• Ability to lead projects and teams, earn trust, maintain positive and professional relationships.
• Experience in design, analysis, and testing of spacecraft thermal systems.

• M.S. degree in mechanical or aerospace engineering.
• Lead the design, drawing release, fabrication and/or procurement, and installation of Multi-Layer Insulation (MLI) blankets, film heaters, thermal interface materials, temperature sensors.
• Hands‑on experience with spacecraft thermal hardware installation processes.
• Experience solving a variety of thermal problems demonstrating breadth in analysis application.
• Proficiency in one or more programming languages (e.g., Python, C/C++).
• Proficiency in one or more CAD & PLM software packages (CREO/Windchill preferred).
• Experience managing engineering efforts against cost and schedule constraints.
• Experience and ability to work independently on rapid development programs.
• 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 Systems;
  Spacecraft Thermal hardware testing;
  Thermal hardware such as radiators, heaters, thermostats, pumps, valves, sensors, heat pipes, ablative materials, sublimators and/or phase change materials;
  Thermal design of Mechanical Ground Support Equipment;
  Spacecraft Thermal system on-orbit operations support.

Base Pay Range for: CO applicants is $ - $; WA applicants is $ - $.
Other site ranges may…