Senior Space Thermal Engineer - Payloads & Constellations

Blue Origin; Huntsville (AL); On-site; USD 157,000 - 220,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental, vision

401(k) with company match

Paid time off

Paid holidays

Education Support Program

Stock options

Job summary

Blue Origin is seeking a Senior Thermal Engineer to lead thermal design and analysis for satellite payloads and on-orbit constellation systems. You will develop detailed models, define thermal interfaces, and drive verification plans to ensure reliable performance in LEO and other regimes.

The role emphasizes cross-disciplinary collaboration with mechanical, power, and systems teams, strong background in space-qualified hardware, and the ability to operate within government/defense-related

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering, aerospace engineering, physics, or related field.
• 7+ years of experience in thermal engineering for aerospace systems and/or high-performance electronics.
• Experience with spaceborne thermal design, including vacuum environments, radiation heat transfer, and flight hardware qualification.
• Experience with thermal modeling tools (Thermal Desktop, SINDA/FLUINT, ANSYS Icepak, or equivalent).
• Knowledge of materials, coatings, and thermal interface technologies suitable for space systems.
• Familiarity with environmental standards (NASA, ESA, MIL-STD) and qualification testing.
• Exceptional communication skills with ability to influence multidisciplinary teams.
• Ability to obtain and maintain TS//SCI security clearance.
• Must be a U.S. citizen or national, U.S. permanent resident, or legally admitted into the U.S.

Responsibilities

• Lead thermal design & analysis for satellite-based, high-power payloads and related electronics.
• Develop detailed thermal models using tools like Thermal Desktop or SINDA/FLUINT.
• Define and manage thermal interfaces across payload subsystems and radiators.
• Perform transient and steady-state analyses for mission profiles and environmental conditions.
• Develop thermal architecture for common bus/payload configurations for production blocks.
• Define qualification, margin, and acceptance approaches per standards.
• Create model correlation strategies with limited test data.
• Address high-cycle fatigue and manufacturability of thermal hardware.
• Collaborate with payload, mechanical, power, and systems teams on packaging.
• Establish thermal requirements, margins, and verification plans.
• Drive trades balancing performance, mass, power, manufacturability, and cost.
• Contribute to technical design reviews as a thermal authority.
• Mentor junior engineers and share best practices.

Skills

Thermal design

Thermal analysis

Space hardware

Cross-disciplinary collaboration

Communication skills

Security clearance eligibility

Education

Bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering, aerospace engineering, physics, or related field

Tools

Thermal Desktop

SINDA/FLUINT

ANSYS Icepak

Job description

Blue Origin is seeking a Senior Thermal Engineer to lead thermal design and analysis for satellite payloads and on-orbit constellation systems. You will develop detailed models, define thermal interfaces, and drive verification plans to ensure reliable performance in LEO and other regimes.

The role emphasizes cross-disciplinary collaboration with mechanical, power, and systems teams, strong background in space-qualified hardware, and the ability to operate within government/defense-related