Thermal Engineer; BT

Overview

The Orion Thermal Protection System (TPS) Engineer will support the JET II contract in Houston, TX
. We are seeking a highly experienced aerospace engineer to provide subsystem management and technical leadership for the certification, testing, and build of the Orion Heat shield. This role acts as an agency-level expert in spacecraft thermal design, analysis, and testing. The position requires deep expertise in heat transfer, thermal protection systems, and spacecraft certification processes.

• Lead subsystem management for the Orion Heat shield, including certification planning, testing, and build oversight.
• Oversee the development of thermal models, stress analyses, and test techniques to ensure successful heat shield certification.
• Evaluate proposed designs and specifications for Avcoat blocks, identifying deficiencies and recommending alternative approaches to meet technical and safety requirements.
• Direct thermal analysis and test efforts performed by NASA civil servants and contractors across multiple centers.
• Assess all heat shield related hardware designs and supporting data at critical design and hardware acceptance reviews.
• Coordinate material property testing to support thermal and mechanical model development, delivering ablative thermal material models to Lockheed Martin for thermal sizing.
• Define and manage test plans for arc jet and radiant heat shield test programs.
• Provide on-site technical expertise for block bonding and gap filling operations at Kennedy Space Center.
• Compile certification evidence, track verification completion, and develop certification of flight readiness statements.
• Provide status and update reports to the Organization Chief and to Directorate management.
• Provide technical authority and consultation on Entry, Descent and Landing (EDL) system design, testing, and analysis to programs across NASA.
• Develop strategies for advancing EDL technologies for current and future exploration spacecraft.
• Lead technical meetings, represent the organization at conferences, and build partnerships with industry, government agencies, and universities.
• Mentor junior engineers, interns, and academic researchers in EDL systems analysis and testing.
• Advise management on priorities, feasibility, and risks of EDL technology development projects.
• Propose and develop innovative concepts in collaboration with industry and government partners to advance state-of-the-art EDL technology.
• Other duties as assigned.

This position has been posted at multiple levels (must meet minimum level indicated). Depending on the candidate s experience, requirements, and business needs, we reserve the right to consider candidates at any level for which this position has been advertised.

• This position requires US Citizenship or Permanent Resident status due to the sensitivity of customer related information.
• Must have space industry or DoD work experience.
• Requires a bachelor s degree in mechanical or aerospace engineering.
• Must have 5+ years of recent engineering analysis experience related to thermal control systems. License and certification may be required.
• Experience working with complex, vehicle level models with multiple system interactions.
• Excellent technical writing skills and the ability to use data to draw conclusions and support the conclusions when challenged.
• Excellent presentation skills.

• Experience with developing and reviewing simulation models of spacecraft hardware and systems at varying levels of fidelity ranging from detailed, first-principal models to more descriptive lumped-parameter models.
• Experience with flight hardware test plan development and execution.
• Experience with requirements definition and validation of space flight hardware.
• Knowledge of programming in one or more of the following:
  Python or MATLAB.

• This position is located onsite.
• This position offers a 9/80 schedule, every other Friday off.
• This position may require some travel.

All Bastion employees must be able to pass a national agency check, some positions require a clearance and will require an extensive background verification/check process.