Thermal Engineer (Aerospace)

Location: San Carlos, California or Seattle, Washington, United States

Salary: $150,000–$200,000 annually

Company

Builds satellite infrastructure for orbital power, high-bandwidth optical data, infrared laser energy transmission, and on-orbit computing in Low Earth Orbit.

What you will do

• Develop spacecraft thermal management architectures, including active and passive cooling for high-power and high-heat-flux components.
• Model and analyze thermal behavior in space environments using tools such as ANSYS Thermal Desktop.
• Optimize component- and system-level solutions for size, weight, and power.
• Plan and execute thermal-cycle and thermal-vacuum testing for flight components, subsystems, and spacecraft.
• Select space-grade thermal materials, coatings, insulation, radiators, heat pipes, thermal interface materials, and heaters.
• Collaborate with mechanical, electrical, build and test, optics, avionics, and propulsion teams on thermal integration, reliability, and safety.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or a related field.
• 3+ years of experience designing and analyzing spacecraft thermal systems.
• Proficiency with thermal modeling software such as ANSYS Thermal Desktop.
• Strong understanding of thermodynamics and heat transfer fundamentals.
• Experience designing, selecting, and testing thermal hardware, plus spacecraft flight-hardware qualification and acceptance testing.
• Must be a U.S. citizen, lawful permanent resident, protected individual, or eligible to obtain the required U.S. Department of State authorizations under ITAR.

Nice to have

• Master’s or PhD in Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or a related discipline.
• 5+ years of experience with spacecraft, launch vehicle, high-power, or high-heat-flux thermal systems.
• Hands-on spacecraft thermal integration and flight-testing experience.
• Experience with OpenTD and Python scripting.
• Strong analytical skills for solving complex thermal design challenges.

Culture & Benefits

• Equity participation.
• Medical, dental, and vision insurance for employees and eligible dependents.
• 401(k) retirement savings plan.
• Paid time off, 10 paid holidays, and paid parental leave.
• Relocation assistance may be available.
• Daily office lunch and a stocked kitchen with beverages and snacks.