Senior Satellite Thermal Engineer – LRU Design - TeraWave

Blue Origin; United States; On-site; USD 150,000 - 210,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental, vision

401(k) with company match

Stock options

Paid parental leave

Paid time off

Education Support Program

Job summary

Blue Origin LLC seeks a Senior Satellite Thermal Engineer to own the thermal performance of one or more TeraWave LRUs, from requirements through production release. You will develop and correlate detailed thermal models, drive hardware trades, and support thermal‑vacuum testing in a fast-moving, safety-focused team.

You will collaborate with systems, mechanical and electrical engineers to ensure thermal constraints are integrated early and throughout the lifecycle.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Mechanical or Aerospace Engineering or closely related field.
• 8+ years hands-on experience in spacecraft component or LRU thermal engineering or thermal control systems development.
• Proficiency with thermal modeling software (Thermal Desktop, SINDA/FLUINT, Ansys Icepak) with model-to-hardware correlation.
• Experience with spaceborne thermal design including vacuum environments and radiation heat transfer.
• Hands-on spacecraft thermal testing experience including TB testing and model-to-test correlation.
• U.S. citizen or eligible status (citizenship/residency as specified).

Responsibilities

• Own thermal performance for assigned LRUs from requirements through production release.
• Define LRU thermal requirements and interfaces with systems/mechanical teams.
• Develop and correlate detailed thermal models for LRUs.
• Perform transient and steady-state analyses for mission profiles.
• Drive design trades balancing performance, mass, and cost.
• Collaborate with mechanical, electrical, and packaging teams on enclosure design.
• Develop thermal loads from first principles and test data; document analyses.
• Support thermal vacuum testing and anomaly investigation.
• Validate third-party thermal models for integration.
• Develop thermal control procedures for all mission phases.

Skills

Thermal engineering

Thermal modeling

Spacecraft thermal testing

Model correlation

Technical communication

Education

Bachelor's degree in Mechanical or Aerospace Engineering

Tools

Thermal Desktop

SINDA/FLUINT

Ansys Icepak

Job description

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! Blue Origin is pioneering the future of space-based communications with TeraWave, a revolutionary satellite communications network designed to deliver symmetrical data speeds of up to 6 Tbps anywhere on Earth. This multi-orbit constellation will consist of optically interconnected satellites in low Earth orbit (LEO) and medium Earth orbit (MEO), providing enterprise-grade connectivity for critical operations worldwide. We are seeking a Senior Satellite Thermal Engineer to serve as the thermal owner for one or more TeraWave satellite Line Replaceable Units (LRUs). You will hold end-to-end thermal responsibility for your assigned LRU — from requirements definition and design concept through analysis, test, qualification, and production release. This means you are not a support resource to a broader thermal team. You own the thermal performance of your LRU, you define its thermal interfaces with the rest of the vehicle, and you are accountable for its performance in the space environment across the full mission life. TeraWave's constellation scale means your thermal solutions must be robust, manufacturable, and cost-conscious simultaneously. You will develop and correlate detailed thermal models, drive hardware trades, support thermal vacuum testing, and resolve anomalies — all within a small, accomplished, and fast-moving team. Your models will be correlated to real hardware data, and your designs will ship at production rate.

Responsibilities

• Serve as the thermal Responsible Engineer for one or more TeraWave satellite LRUs — owning thermal performance from requirements through qualification and production release
• Define LRU-level thermal requirements and thermal interface definitions in coordination with systems engineering, mechanical engineering, and the satellite‑level thermal team; own and maintain those interfaces throughout the product lifecycle
• Develop detailed thermal models of your assigned LRU using Thermal Desktop, SINDA/FLUINT, or equivalent tools, covering conduction, radiation, and convection as applicable; maintain model correlation to hardware test data
• Perform transient and steady‑state thermal analyses to validate LRU performance under mission profiles, including peak duty cycles, eclipse transitions, and worst‑case environmental conditions across the full mission life
• Drive LRU thermal design trades — radiator sizing, heat pipe routing, cold plate integration, thermal interface material selection, heat spreader design — balancing performance, mass, power consumption, manufacturability, and unit cost
• Collaborate with the LRU mechanical, electrical, and packaging engineers to ensure thermal constraints are integrated into the LRU enclosure design, PCB layout, and component placement from the earliest design stages
• Develop thermal loads for your LRU from first principles, literature, and test data; document and maintain analysis inputs, models, and results per Blue Origin standards
• Support LRU hardware development through thermal vacuum testing, model‑to‑test correlation, and anomaly investigation and resolution
• Assess and validate third‑party thermal models for LRU components; develop correlated simplified models for integration into satellite‑level analyses
• Develop thermal control procedures for LRU operations across all spacecraft mission phases

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or a closely related field
• 8 or more years of hands‑on experience in spacecraft component or LRU thermal engineering or thermal control systems development
• Proficiency with thermal modeling software — Thermal Desktop, SINDA/FLUINT, Ansys Icepak, or a directly comparable tool — with demonstrated experience building, running, and correlating models to hardware test data
• Demonstrated experience with spaceborne thermal design, including vacuum environments, radiation heat transfer, and flight hardware qualification
• Hands‑on experience with spacecraft thermal testing, including thermal vacuum test setup, execution, data review, and model‑to‑test correlation
• 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

• Extensive experience with logic‑heavy or highly parameterized Thermal Desktop models for complex satellite LRU geometries
• Experience as the thermal owner for an electronic box, avionics enclosure, or power electronics LRU through qualification and production release
• Experience with high‑rate production manufacturing and test environments, including thermal design optimized for producibility and unit cost at constellation scale
• Experience with component‑level thermal fatigue analysis for LRU assemblies subject to thermal cycling
• Knowledge of advanced thermal control technologies including variable conductance heat pipes, loop heat pipes, and phase change materials
• Experience with 3D CAD tools (Creo, NX, SolidWorks, or equivalent) for geometry import and thermal model integration
• Familiarity with integrated engineering tools, knowledge capture systems, and rapid development processes
• Strong written and verbal technical communication skills, with a demonstrated ability to author thermal analysis reports, interface control documents, and test plans independently

Base Pay Range

Base Pay Range for: CO applicants is $144,179.00 - $201,849.90 WA applicants is $156,802.00 - $219,522.45 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

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

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, 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 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. Stock Options for all regular employees (working at least 20 hours/week) 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

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. Affluent Action and Disability Accommodation Applicants wishing to receive information on Blue Origin’s Aff…

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