Senior Thermal Engineer – Payload Systems

Application close date:

At Blue Origin we envision millions of people living and working in space for the benefit of Earth. Were 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!

We are seeking a Senior Thermal Engineer to lead the thermal design and analysis of advanced phased array antenna systems for both satellite payloads and ground-based user terminals. This role is central to ensuring reliable performance of high-power high-frequency antenna systems operating across harsh orbital and terrestrial environments including Q/V-band and beyond.

The ideal candidate brings deep expertise in thermal management of RF electronics active phased arrays and space-qualified hardware along with the ability to drive cross-disciplinary design integration across mechanical RF digital and power subsystems.

This role offers the opportunity to shape next-generation satellite communication systems and high-performance ground terminals enabling robust high-capacity connectivity in increasingly demanding RF environments.

Key Responsibilities:

• Lead thermal architecture development for satellite-based phased array antennas including active RF front ends beamforming ICs and associated power electronics.
• Design and optimize thermal solutions for ground-based phased array terminals operating under dynamic environmental conditions (solar loading ambient extremes precipitation and installation variability).
• 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 RF duty cycles eclipse transitions and worst-case environmental conditions.
• Collaborate closely with RF mechanical and systems engineering teams to ensure thermal constraints are integrated into antenna element layout T/R module design and packaging.
• Establish thermal requirements margins and verification plans aligned with mission reliability and lifetime goals.
• Support hardware development including thermal testing correlation of models to test data and anomaly resolution.
• Drive thermal design trades balancing performance mass power consumption manufacturability and cost for both space and ground systems.
• Mentor junior engineers and contribute to organizational best practices in thermal engineering.

Required Qualifications:

• Bachelors degree in mechanical engineering aerospace engineering Physics or related field.
• 8 years of experience in thermal engineering for aerospace RF systems or high-performance electronics.
• Demonstrated experience with spaceborne thermal design including vacuum environments radiation heat transfer and flight hardware qualification.
• Strong understanding of phased array antenna systems including thermal challenges associated with dense T/R module integration and high-power densities.
• 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 and outdoor ground systems.
• Familiarity with environmental standards (e.g. NASA ESA MIL-STD) and qualification testing.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Masters or PhD degree in mechanical engineering aerospace engineering Physics or related field
• Experience with Q/V-band or higher frequency RF systems and associated thermal constraints.
• Background in both space and terrestrial antenna systems particularly electronically steered arrays.
• Experience with advanced cooling techniques including loop heat pipes vapor chambers and liquid cooling systems.
• Experience supporting production scaling and cost optimization for phased array hardware.

Key Attributes:

• Strong systems thinking and ability to work across multidisciplinary teams.
• Ability to translate complex thermal challenges into practical engineering solutions.
• Proven leadership in driving designs from concept through qualification and deployment.
• Excellent communication skills for both technical and programmatic stakeholders.

Compensation Range for:

Other site ranges may differ

Culture Statement

Dont 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 youre excited about this role but your past experience doesnt 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 (i.e. current Green Card holder) or lawfully admitted into the a refugee or granted asylum.

Background Check

• Required for all positions: Blues 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 10001 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 (CDL drivers only) 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 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 companys intent to reward individual contributions and enable them to share in the companys results or other factors at the companys 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

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.

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