Senior Thermal Control System Design Engineer (Aerospace)

TL;DR

Senior Thermal Control System Design Engineer (Aerospace): Developing, implementing, and testing active and passive thermal control systems for high-power satellite platforms with an accent on pump fluid loops, heat pipes, and thermal-vacuum testing. Focus on designing robust thermal architectures, managing test campaigns, and ensuring manufacturability for large-scale spacecraft production.

Location: Must be based in Los Angeles, CA (Onsite)

Salary: $140,000 - $175,000

Company

A well-funded Series C space startup building the largest and highest-power satellite platforms for missions from LEO to deep space.

What you will do

• Design and size active and passive thermal control systems including pumps, valves, accumulators, and cold plates.
• Plan and execute thermal cycle and thermal-vacuum (TVAC) testing campaigns.
• Develop and maintain state-of-the-art test stands, instrumentation, and data acquisition systems.
• Create control scripts for reliable testing of pump fluid loops and hardware-in-the-loop setups.
• Document, analyze, and present test data to support development and production processes.
• Troubleshoot electrical and mechanical test setups to ensure system reliability.

Requirements

• Must be a U.S. Person (citizen, green card holder, or protected individual) due to ITAR regulations.
• 5+ years of experience with thermal testing in a high-rate manufacturing environment.
• 2+ years of experience sizing and testing fluid systems (pumps, valves, heat exchangers).
• Strong experience with thermal and TVAC testing, including instrumentation and troubleshooting.
• Demonstrated experience with data acquisition for thermal and power applications.
• Proficiency in test plan development and execution.

Nice to have

• Experience with NX or AutoCAD for fixture design.
• Experience with Thermal Desktop for thermal analysis.
• Knowledge of signal conditioning and signal-to-noise ratio optimization.
• Experience with avionics or refrigeration systems testing.

Culture & Benefits

• Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision insurance coverage.
• Paid time off and paid parental leave.
• Equity participation in a high-growth space startup.
• Life insurance and additional perks.
• Collaborative environment that encourages non-traditional career paths.