Senior Thermal Engineer (Spacecraft)

Location: Hybrid in San Jose, California; on-site in the San Jose office three days per week. Access to export-controlled information requires U.S. person status, eligibility without export authorization, or eligibility and a reasonable likelihood of obtaining the required authorization.

Salary: $183,000–$198,000 per year, plus equity and benefits.

Company

hirify.global designs, builds, and operates LEO satellite constellations that deliver mission-critical Earth intelligence and remote-sensing data.

What you will do

• Own instrument thermal models and drive non-recurring engineering and per-mission-block design improvements.
• Define and own instrument thermal verification and validation plans, including model correlation.
• Develop thermal hardware interface control documents and performance requirements for heat straps and radiators.
• Contribute to full-spacecraft thermal balance and system thermal model integration.
• Support system-level testing and define thermal limits and margins for other subsystems.
• Mentor junior thermal engineers and serve as the technical lead for instrument thermal engineering.

Requirements

• 8+ years of spacecraft or aerospace thermal engineering experience with a bachelor's degree, or 6+ years with a master's degree.
• Expertise in thermal simulation and full-spacecraft thermal balance.
• Experience designing, executing, and correlating TVAC and unit-level thermal tests.
• Fluency in thermal-mechanical interfaces, ICDs, margins, and requirements flow-down.
• Bachelor's degree or higher in Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, Physics, or a related field.
• Must meet applicable U.S. export-control eligibility requirements.

Nice to have

• Scripting experience in Python or Matlab.
• Systems-engineering experience.
• Experience with IR-imaging systems or spacecraft payloads.

Culture & Benefits

• Full-time employment with equity compensation.
• Medical, dental, and vision insurance.
• 401(k) retirement plan, disability coverage, and life insurance.
• Three weeks of paid vacation for new employees, 12 paid holidays, unlimited sick time, and paid parental leave.
• Commitment to diversity, equal employment opportunity, and reasonable accommodations during the application process.