Senior Thermal Engineer – Constellations

Blue Origin; Huntsville (AL); On-site; USD 140,000 - 210,000; Full time

Job summary

Blue Origin seeks a Senior Thermal Engineer to lead thermal design and analysis for satellite payloads and in-space systems. You will develop detailed models, define interfaces, and drive qualification approaches while coordinating with payload, mechanical, power, and systems teams.

You will guide cross-disciplinary design integration for high-power hardware, manage thermal margins, and mentor junior engineers in a fast-paced, innovation-driven environment.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in mechanical or aerospace engineering, physics, or related field.
• 7+ years in thermal engineering for aerospace or high-power electronics.
• Experience with spaceborne thermal design, vacuum, radiation transfer, and flight hardware qualification.
• Familiarity with NASA/ESA/MIL-STD standards and qualification testing.

Responsibilities

• Lead thermal design and analysis for satellite payloads and high-power electronics.
• Develop detailed thermal models using Thermal Desktop, SINDA/FLUINT, or equivalent.
• Define thermal interfaces across subsystems: radiators, heat pipes, loops, cold plates.
• Perform transient and steady-state analyses for mission profiles and eclipse transitions.
• Create thermal architecture for common bus/payload configurations across programs.
• Define qualification margins and acceptance approaches per standards.
• Drive manufacturability of thermal hardware and support rapid trades.
• Collaborate with payload, mechanical, power, and systems teams to integrate constraints.

Skills

Thermal design

Thermal analysis

Cross-functional

Mentorship

Education

Bachelor's degree in mechanical or aerospace engineering or physics

Tools

Thermal Desktop

SINDA/FLUINT

ANSYS Icepak

Job description

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!
The role is part of the In-Space Systems business unit, which is focused on addressing two of the most compelling challenges in spaceflight today: space infrastructure and increasing mobility on-orbit.
This role is part of the Blue National Security business unit, which is focused on delivering advanced space-based capabilities in support of national security, civil, and commercial missions. Within the Advanced Systems organization, the multi-disciplinary Future Concepts & Capabilities team operates at the forefront of systems engineering, formulation, and architecture, developing next-generation space systems that address the most demanding and consequential challenges in the space domain.
We are seeking a Senior Thermal Engineer to lead the thermal design and analysis for both satellite payloads and integrated in-space constellation solutions. This role is central to ensuring reliable performance of a diverse array of high-power payload systems operating in LEO and other orbital regimes. The ideal candidate brings deep expertise in thermal management of space-qualified hardware, RF / Opto-electrical components, radar systems, and/or specialized payload types, along with the ability to drive cross-disciplinary design integration across payload, mechanical, avionics, and power subsystems.
If you're looking for novel challenges and rewarding work, come join a team pushing the boundaries of space system design to solve the defense and civil domains' toughest problems!

Special Mentions

• Location: This role can be based at any of the following Blue Origin locations: Denver, CO; Los Angeles, CA; Space Coast, FL; Reston, VA; Huntsville, AL; or Kent, WA (Seattle area).
• Relocation: Relocation assistance is available for candidates relocating to one of the primary Blue Origin office locations.
• Travel: Up to 25% travel may be required depending on work location and program needs.

Responsibilities Include But Are Not Limited To

• Lead thermal design & analysis for satellite-based, high-power payloads and associated power electronics.
• Develop detailed thermal models using tools such as Thermal Desktop, SINDA/FLUINT, or equivalent, covering conduction, radiation, and convection regimes as appropriate.
• Define and manage thermal interfaces across payload subsystems, including radiators, heat pipes, loop heat pipes, cold plates, and structural elements.
• Perform transient and steady-state thermal analyses to validate performance under mission profiles, including peak duty cycles, eclipse transitions, and worst-case environmental conditions.
• Develop thermal architecture for common bus/payload configurations reused across a production block, including tailoring for orbit plane, beta angle range, and payload variant.
• Select and defend the appropriate thermal qualification, margin, and acceptance approach (e.g., protoflight, workmanship-only TVAC on subsequent units, thermal cycling screening, lot acceptance sampling) based on build rate, mission class, and design life; tailor requirements per SMC-S-016 / MIL-STD-1540 as applicable.
• Define thermal model correlation strategy under limited test data, extending correlated models across the rest of a production block.
• Address LEO thermal cycling fatigue over high cycle counts (~5,000+ eclipse cycles/year) on joints, solder, TIMs, and coatings across design life.
• Drive design-for-manufacturability of thermal hardware at rate (e.g., MLI touch labor, coating repeatability, TIM dispensing, heater and thermostat installation), leveraging parametric or automated thermal modeling workflows to support rapid trades.
• Evaluate COTS or commercial-grade thermal components where mission class permits, and manage heater power budget as a fleet-level EPS driver, trading heater sizing against battery and array mass.
• Support design-for-demise and material selection for disposal casualty risk (ODMSP).
• Assess manufacturability, cost, and schedule impact of thermal hardware choices (radiators, heat pipes, loop heat pipes, cold plates) for production at scale.
• Support thermal design and analysis concurrently across multiple constellation and payload programs, prioritizing effort against shifting schedules and design maturity.
• Collaborate closely with payload subject matter experts, mechanical, power, and systems engineering teams to ensure thermal constraints are integrated into payload element layout and packaging.
• Establish thermal requirements, margins, and verification plans aligned with mission reliability and lifetime goals.
• Drive thermal design trades balancing performance, mass, power consumption, manufacturability, and cost for both space and ground systems.
• Contribute to major technical design reviews and serve as a key technical authority for the thermal system.
• Mentor junior engineers and contribute to organizational best practices in thermal engineering.

Minimum 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.
• Demonstrated experience with spaceborne thermal design, including vacuum environments, radiation heat transfer, and flight hardware qualification.
• Experience with thermal modeling tools (e.g., Thermal Desktop, SINDA/FLUINT, ANSYS Icepak, or equivalent).
• Knowledge of materials, coatings, and thermal interface technologies suitable for space systems.
• Familiarity with environmental standards (e.g., NASA, ESA, MIL-STD) and qualification testing.
• Exceptional communication skills, with a demonstrated ability to influence and guide multidisciplinary teams.
• Ability and willingness to obtain and maintain a TS//SCI security clearance.
• 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

• Master's or PhD degree in mechanical engineering, aerospace engineering, physics, or related field.
• Active TS//SCI clearance.
• Experience supporting capture and proposal efforts for new business opportunities, including contributing technical content and solutions to winning pursuits.
• Background in space-based antenna systems or similar high-power payload systems.
• Experience with thermal management of high-power-density electronics such as T/R modules, phased array apertures, or laser communication terminals.
• Experience with advanced cooling techniques, including loop heat pipes, vapor chambers, and liquid cooling systems.
• Experience on a proliferated LEO or other high-rate satellite program.
• Experience with thermal cycling / ESS / HALT-HASS-style screening, including safety-of-screen or damage accumulation analysis.

Base Pay Range For

CA applicants is $156,802.00 - $219,522.45 CO applicants is $144,179.00 - $201,849.90 WA applicants is $156,802.00 - $219,522.45 VA applicants is $156,802.00 - $219,522.45

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

Applicants for employment at Blue Origin must be a U.S. citizen or national, U.S. permanent resident (