Freelance Cfd Simulation Engineer Jobs in Seattle, WA

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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 a hardworking team of engineers, you will design, analyze, and optimize complex engine components, assemblies and systems. As an experienced practitioner in CFD, you will be responsible for developing high-fidelity computational models to predict thermal environments and structural loading in combustion systems and turbomachinery. Your analyses will directly inform thermal and structural design decisions, boundary condition derivation, and component life assessments across the engine operating envelope. You will collaborate closely with thermal analysts, structural analysts, and systems engineers to ensure integrated and consistent predictions across the engine. Relying on your fundamentals in fluid mechanics and heat transfer you will anchor CFD models to test data and make recommendations for updated instrumentation on subsequent test campaigns.

Special Mentions

• Relocation provided
• Travel expected up to 10% of the time

Responsibilities include but are not limited to:

• Develop, execute, and maintain CFD models to predict thermal environments, heat flux distributions, and structural loading for combustion devices and turbomachinery components
• Generate high-fidelity predictions of flow fields, temperature distributions, and thermal gradients to support component design and life assessments across steady-state and transient operating conditions
• Derive CFD-based thermal and pressure boundary conditions for use by thermal and structural finite element analysis (FEA) teams
• Collaborate with thermal analysts using tools such as ANSYS Mechanical/Classic and Thermal Desktop to ensure consistent and integrated thermal state predictions
• Collaborate with structural analysts to ensure CFD-derived thermal loads are accurately translated into structural models and support failure mode evaluations including strength, fatigue, and creep
• Anchor CFD model predictions to engine and component test data; identify discrepancies and drive model improvements
• Support test plan development to verify thermal requirements and generate data necessary to establish confidence in design solutions
• Perform trade studies using CFD to optimize cooling designs, combustion efficiency, and turbomachinery flow path performance
• Develop and improve CFD process automation tools for mesh generation, boundary condition setup, post-processing, and report generation
• Advocate for methods and best practices that will improve component analysis performance and reliability
• Provide technical mentorship to less experienced engineers and perform peer review of CFD analyses across Blue Origin's active engine programs

Minimum Qualifications

• B.S. degree in Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or a related engineering discipline
• Minimum of 5 years of industry experience performing CFD analysis in support of combustion systems, turbomachinery, or related engine systems
• Demonstrated proficiency with one or more commercial or open-source CFD codes (ANSYS Fluent, ANSYS CFX, Siemens Star-CCM+, OpenFOAM)
• Solid understanding of fluid mechanics, heat transfer
• Experience deriving and applying thermal and pressure boundary conditions for use in downstream finite element thermal and structural analyses
• Familiarity with mesh generation tools and best practices for complex 3D geometries
• Demonstrated experience using scripting or programming languages for pre/post-processing automation (Python, MATLAB, Fortran, VBA, or similar)
• Good communication skills and proficiency with engineering productivity tools
• 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.

Preferred Qualifications

• M.S. or Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or a related discipline with a focus on thermal/fluid sciences or computational methods
• Experience with conjugate heat transfer (CHT) simulations coupling fluid and solid thermal domains
• Familiarity with analysis tools such as ANSYS Workbench or Thermal Desktop to support integrated modeling workflows using CFD-derived loads
• Experience with reacting flow or combustion CFD modeling (e.g., premixed/non-premixed combustion, species transport)
• Experience with turbomachinery flow path analysis, including rotor-stator interactions, disk cavity flows, and seal leakage
• Prior job experience in thermal/fluid testing and instrumentation definition
• Demonstrated knowledge of phase change heat transfer
• Experience with Agentic AI

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 atEEOCompliance@blueorigin.com. Please note this is a publicly managed inbox. Please do not include any personal medical information in your request.