Plume Analytics Engineer – Lunar Transfer Stage

Blue Origin; United States; On-site; USD 121,000 - 169,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental, vision insurance

Stock options

Paid time off & holidays

Job summary

Blue Origin seeks a Fluids Systems Analyst to join the Plume Analysis team for the Lunar Transfer Stage. You will simulate plume flowfields in rarefied and continuum regimes, and develop Python-based post-processing pipelines. You will work with NASA and partners, guiding design decisions for the crewed lunar lander.

The role spans requirements gathering, preprocessing, CFD/DSMC simulations, and results reporting, delivering boundary conditions and formal analyses under DRD standards.

Qualifications

• MS or PhD in Aerospace or Mechanical Engineering or related field preferred; BS considered with commensurate experience.
• 5–7 years of experience in space vehicle, launch vehicle, or high-altitude flow modeling and simulation.
• Experience with full CFD analysis process: geometry prep, meshing, solver, post-processing.
• Understanding of compressible fluid mechanics and heat transfer in rocket propulsion/ vacuum plume environments.
• Familiarity with DSMC and rarefied flow concepts and tools.
• Python for scientific computing and post-processing.
• Experience with research-grade or custom CFD solvers (Loci/CHEM, DPLR, LAURA, US3D).
• Experience with DSMC tools (DAC, SPARTA).
• Experience with LES for acoustics or high-fidelity flow details.
• Experience with CAD defeaturing and meshing tools (SpaceClaim, ANSA, Pointwise).
• Experience on HPC/cloud platforms and large-scale job submission.
• Familiar with spacecraft propellant thermochemistry (MMH/MON-3, LOX/LH2).
• Experience with plume-surface interactions, PSI, and lunar/planetary landing analyses

Responsibilities

• Coordinate with design teams to translate requirements into analysis tasks.
• Develop plume flowfield and surface heat flux/pressure models for continuum and rarefied regimes.
• Execute CAD defeaturing, meshing, CFD/DSMC simulations, post-processing, results delivery.
• Run 2D axisymmetric and 3D CFD simulations of nozzle/plume flowfields on HPC/cloud.
• Perform DSMC analysis for far-field and surface impingement heating.
• Develop Python-based post-processing pipelines for heat flux and pressure analyses.
• Deliver boundary conditions and formal reports per NASA DRD standards.
• Collaborate with NASA partners and contribute to technical deliverables.

Skills

Python

CFD

Heat transfer

Thermodynamics

GNC/EVA design knowledge

NASA DRD standards

Post-processing

HPC/cloud computing

Education

MS/PhD in Aerospace or Mechanical Eng

BS with commensurate experience

Tools

SpaceClaim

ANSA

Pointwise

Loci/CHEM

DPLR/LAURA/US3D

Job description

Blue Origin seeks a Fluids Systems Analyst to join the Plume Analysis team for the Lunar Transfer Stage. You will simulate plume flowfields in rarefied and continuum regimes, and develop Python-based post-processing pipelines. You will work with NASA and partners, guiding design decisions for the crewed lunar lander.

The role spans requirements gathering, preprocessing, CFD/DSMC simulations, and results reporting, delivering boundary conditions and formal analyses under DRD standards.