Senior Spacecraft Thermal Engineer (MLI)

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!  

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.

Special Mentions:

• Relocation provided
• Travel expected up to 25% of the time
• Active or ability to obtain TS/SCI clearance w/ poly required

Responsibilities include but are not limited to:

• Lead the design, drawing release, fabrication and/or procurement, and installation of Multi-Layer Insulation (MLI) blankets for LEO, GEO, and interplanetary spacecraft and spacecraft payloads
• Lead the establishment of a low-rate production MLI work center at the Blue Ring AI&T facility
• Support existing Assembly, Integration & Test (AI&T) coordination efforts through managing MLI design, fabrication & installation schedules and budgets
• Provide general onsite Thermal Responsible Engineer (RE) support for spacecraft thermal installation components & processes (heaters, sensors, radiators, thermal interface materials, etc.)
• Support the development of thermal designs, thermal system modeling, component sizing, and component design.
• 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.

Minimum Qualifications:

• Minimum of a B.S. degree in mechanical or aerospace engineering.
• Proven understanding of thermal physics fundamentals.
• Proficiency in spacecraft MLI design, fabrication and installation.
• 10+ years of relevant experience in design, analysis, and test of spacecraft thermal systems, with particular emphasis on MLI design, fabrication and installation processes.
• Hands-on experience with spacecraft thermal hardware installation processes
• 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.  
• Experience in design, analysis, and testing of spacecraft thermal systems.

Preferred Qualifications:

• M.S. degree in mechanical or aerospace engineering
• Experience solving a variety of thermal problems demonstrating breadth in analysis application.
• Proficiency in one or more programming languages (e.g., Python, C/C++,etc).
• Thermal analysis, specifically in Thermal Desktop and Sinda/Fluint, including model validation and test correlation
• Ability to perform trade studies relating to selection of material and subsystem hardware.
• Ability to perform hand calculations to screen concepts without detailed modeling and to sanity check finite element model results.
• Ability to develop vehicle-level thermal models using SINDA/FLUINT with Thermal Desktop.
• Ability to provide thermal engineering support for the development of thermal vacuum (TVAC) test procedures, scripts and installation designs.
• Ability to provide thermal engineering support for thermal hardware design, documentation (drawings and model based designs), procurement, planning, procedural & operations support of Spacecraft assembly, integration & test (AI&T) efforts.
• Support existing & development of thermal data analytics architecture (GitLab or similar)
• 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, thermostats, heat pipes, ablative materials, sublimators, and/or phase change materials
  • Thermal design of Mechanical Ground Support Equipment
  • Spacecraft Thermal system on-orbit operations support

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 qualificat