Sr. Propulsion Engineer - Thermo-Mechanical Analysis

About the Role 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! This role is part of the Blue Origin Engines business unit, where our focus is the design, development, manufacturing, and testing of engines and propulsion systems. Built for multiple uses, our family of engines is powering the next generation of rockets for commercial, civil, national security, and human spaceflight. Special Mentions Relocation provided Travel expected up to 20% of the time Responsibilities 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 balance 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 8 years of experience in mechanical / structural / thermal analysis of rotating machinery 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 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 10+ years of relevant industry experience. Experience working in aerospace. 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, APUs, turbochargers, or oil & gas dense‑gas compressors / expanders. 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 WA applicants: $145,188.00 - $203,263.20 Benefits 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 workforce. 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 View email address on click.appcast.io. Please note this is a publicly managed inbox. Please do not include any personal medical information in your request. #J-18808-Ljbffr Blue Origin