Propulsion Engineer – Thermo-Mechanical Analysis

Application close date:

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!

As part of our hardworking team of engineers, you will own the thermo-mechanical modeling of our large-scale rotating hardware. You will build and maintain 2D axisymmetric whole-engine models of the rotor and casing, integrate them with secondary-flow networks, and predict the metal temperatures, structural margins, and running clearances that determine whether our turbomachinery performs and survives. Additionally, you will be working with the integration and test groups for iterative learning and model corrections as the system matures through the design lifecycle. This position is integral to the success of our missions and requires strong familiarity with rotating-equipment structural and thermal analysis.

Special Mentions [Edit or remove as needed]

• Relocation provided
• Travel expected up to 25% of the time
• Interviews will include a technical assessment

Responsibilities include but are not limited to:

• Develop, maintain, and own 2D axisymmetric thermo-mechanical whole-engine / whole-pump models of rotating equipment, predicting metal temperatures, component deflections, and clearances across the full operating envelope.

• Translate 3D component and assembly geometry into efficient 2D axisymmetric representations that capture the governing thermal and structural features.

• Implement transient operating profiles (startup, acceleration, steady-state, throttle transients, shutdown, and cooldown / soak-back) and assess their effect on differential growth and clearances.

• Work closely with secondary-flow analysts to develop conjugate thermal-fluid models, translating internal-flow network outputs (cavity pressures, temperatures, leakage flows, windage) into convective boundary conditions using rotating-disc, gaspath, and cavity heat-transfer correlations; calibrate against rig and engine test data.

• Apply thermal boundary conditions to axisymmetric structural models to predict rotor stack, casing stack separation margin, radial fits, and critical radial / axial clearance closure across transients for critical flow area and rub margin assessment.

• Perform component structural margin, bolted-joint, and interference-fit assessments using 2D and 3D ANSYS, and feed results to life assessment (LCF / HCF / creep).

• Synthesize thermal and structural analysis results into actionable operability guidance, informing and negotiating system-level ConOps trades that balances hardware reliability and life against mission performance objectives.

• Collaborate across disciplines - design, aero / CFD, secondary flow, rotordynamics, materials, and test - to anchor analysis assumptions and resolve complex hardware issues.

• Develop and maintain analysis-driven design requirements and documentation; contribute technical artifacts to subsystem and program gated reviews (SRR, PDR, CDR, MRR, TRR).

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or a related field.

• Minimum of 6 years of experience in mechanical / structural / thermal analysis of machinery systems or comparable high-performance hardware (or fewer years with demonstrated ownership of a whole-engine / 2D axisymmetric thermo-mechanical model).

• Hands-on experience with transient thermal and nonlinear structural finite element analysis in ANSYS (contact, plasticity, thermal-structural coupling).

• Demonstrated experience of creating and building (not just running) whole-engine / 2D axisymmetric thermo-mechanical models of rotating equipment.

• Ability to independently derive convective heat-transfer boundary conditions from engineering correlations (does not depend on a separate CFD team to populate a thermal model).

• Experience working in cross-disciplinary engineering teams.

• A track record of taking ownership, showing resilience in the face of challenges, and consistently delivering results.

Preferred Qualifications

• 8+ years of relevant industry experience.

• Experience working in aerospace turbomachinery applications.

• M.S. or Ph.D. in Mechanical or Aerospace Engineering or a related discipline.

• Experience producing tip-clearance / pinch-point predictions that informed clearance budgets or active clearance control.

• Life assessment experience: thermo-mechanical fatigue (TMF), creep, low-cycle and high-cycle fatigue (LCF / HCF).

• Rotordynamics literacy (Campbell diagrams, critical speeds, bearing support stiffness) sufficient to close the radial clearance budget.

• Experience correlating and calibrating thermo-mechanical models against rig or engine test data.

• Component design experience (bladed rotors / blisks, discs, casings, seals, bolted joints).

• Scripting and automation (Python, MATLAB, ANSYS APDL).

• Working knowledge of ASME Y14.5 GD&T and tolerance / stack-up analysis.

• Experience with 1D fluid-network tools (e.g., Flownex) and proprietary whole-engine-model toolchains.

• Background in gas turbines, steam turbines, auxiliary power units (APUs), turbochargers, or oil & gas dense-gas compressors / turboexpanders.

• Demonstrated use of - or genuine enthusiasm to adopt - modern AI-assisted engineering tools (e.g., LLM-based coding/analysis assistants integrated into the daily development environment) to accelerate modeling, scripting, and documentation.

• Experience with LabVIEW and MATLAB.

Base Pay Range for:

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

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: 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 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

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.

Affirmative Action and Disability Accommodation

Applicants wishing to receive information on Blue Origin’s Affirmative Action Plans, or applicants requiring a reasonable accommodation in order to participate in the application and/or interview process, please contact us at [email protected]. Please note this is a publicly managed inbox. Please do not include any personal medical information in your request.