Job Requirements
Palm Bay, FL Herndon, VA Carlsbad, CA
Top Secret/SCI Polygraph not specified
Early Career (2+ yrs experience)
$100,000 - $125,000
Job Description
We are seeking an experienced Thermal Analyst to join our engineering organization and provide technical leadership across multidisciplinary teams. This role focuses on thermal design, analysis, and testing of optical systems operating in harsh space and ground environments.
The ideal candidate will have a strong background in aerospace thermal engineering, spacecraft payload architectures, and thermal control systems. The candidate will lead and mentor engineering teams in conductive, convective, and radiative heat transfer analysis, thermal control hardware design, and thermal management of optical structures to minimize optical errors and maintain operational temperature requirements.
The role requires proficiency in industry-standard thermal analysis tools, including Thermal Desktop and finite element analysis (FEA) software, as well as the ability to support complex spacecraft subsystems and instrument development throughout the engineering lifecycle.
Essential Functions
Lead system-level thermal design, development, payload integration, testing, and risk mitigation for space-based systems.
Perform thermal design and analysis of complex spacecraft hardware, including structural components, mechanisms, electronic packaging, optical structures, and payload instruments.
Conduct conductive, convective, and radiative heat transfer analyses to evaluate system performance in space and ground environments.
Develop and assess thermal design concepts using Thermal Desktop, SINDA, FEA packages, and other specialized thermal analysis tools.
Evaluate thermal control hardware, including heat pipes, thermal blankets, surface treatments, heater tapes, and thermistors.
Assess thermal interactions with optical structures to minimize thermally induced optical errors and maintain required operating temperatures.
Define technical approaches, establish analysis methodologies, and develop engineering solutions to meet program objectives.
Lead, coordinate, and mentor multidisciplinary engineering teams in thermal design, modeling, analysis, and testing.
Support requirements derivation and verification, system architecture development, loads derivation, trade studies, sensitivity analyses, and design optimization.
Perform preliminary and detailed design analyses and prepare technical reports, engineering calculations, presentations, and deliverable data packages.
Serve as an Integrated Product Team (IPT) Lead for thermal design and analysis, coordinating directly with customer technical leads and program management.
Present analysis results, design recommendations, and technical findings to customers, internal leadership, and independent reviewers.
Participate in and present technical information at Preliminary Design Reviews (PDRs), Critical Design Reviews (CDRs), and Technical Interchange Meetings (TIMs).
Collaborate with structural, systems, electrical, manufacturing, performance, quality, and configuration management teams to resolve technical issues and finalize designs.
Coordinate with external suppliers and customers to ensure technical compliance and successful program execution.
Develop thermal test plans and support the manufacturing, integration, and testing of spacecraft payloads and sensor systems.
Support new business development, technical proposals, and engineering initiatives.
Manage multiple assignments in a fast-paced environment while adapting to evolving technical and program priorities.
Required Qualifications
Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering or a related engineering or scientific discipline with 9+ years of relevant professional experience, or a master’s degree with 7+ years of relevant professional experience.
7+ years of experience using thermal analysis tools, such as Thermal Desktop (preferred), SINDA, FloTHERM, Icepak, or equivalent software.
5+ years of experience leading multidisciplinary mechanical engineering teams through system requirements, design, analysis, testing, hardware build, delivery, and launch.
Demonstrated experience in thermal analysis of mechanical and electronic systems operating in space, aerospace, or ground environments.
Professional experience with thermal vacuum (TVAC) testing.
Strong understanding of aerospace thermal engineering, spacecraft payload architectures, and thermal control technologies.
Preferred Additional Skills
Experience with finite element analysis (FEA) software and thermal-structural modeling.
Knowledge of optical payload thermal management and thermally induced optical error mitigation.
Experience with heat pipes, radiative heat transfer, thermal blankets, surface coatings, heater tapes, and thermistors.
Ability to develop and present well-documented engineering analyses, calculations, and design recommendations.
Strong analytical and troubleshooting skills, with the ability to identify root causes and drive technical issues to resolution.
Experience leading engineering teams from conceptual design through detailed design, integration, and testing.
Previous experience as a Lead Engineer, Project Engineer, or Integrated Product Team (IPT) Lead.
Experience mentoring engineers in thermal modeling, analysis methodologies, and engineering software.
Proficiency in Microsoft Office applications, including Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.
The ideal candidate will have a strong background in aerospace thermal engineering, spacecraft payload architectures, and thermal control systems. The candidate will lead and mentor engineering teams in conductive, convective, and radiative heat transfer analysis, thermal control hardware design, and thermal management of optical structures to minimize optical errors and maintain operational temperature requirements.
The role requires proficiency in industry-standard thermal analysis tools, including Thermal Desktop and finite element analysis (FEA) software, as well as the ability to support complex spacecraft subsystems and instrument development throughout the engineering lifecycle.
Essential Functions
Lead system-level thermal design, development, payload integration, testing, and risk mitigation for space-based systems.
Perform thermal design and analysis of complex spacecraft hardware, including structural components, mechanisms, electronic packaging, optical structures, and payload instruments.
Conduct conductive, convective, and radiative heat transfer analyses to evaluate system performance in space and ground environments.
Develop and assess thermal design concepts using Thermal Desktop, SINDA, FEA packages, and other specialized thermal analysis tools.
Evaluate thermal control hardware, including heat pipes, thermal blankets, surface treatments, heater tapes, and thermistors.
Assess thermal interactions with optical structures to minimize thermally induced optical errors and maintain required operating temperatures.
Define technical approaches, establish analysis methodologies, and develop engineering solutions to meet program objectives.
Lead, coordinate, and mentor multidisciplinary engineering teams in thermal design, modeling, analysis, and testing.
Support requirements derivation and verification, system architecture development, loads derivation, trade studies, sensitivity analyses, and design optimization.
Perform preliminary and detailed design analyses and prepare technical reports, engineering calculations, presentations, and deliverable data packages.
Serve as an Integrated Product Team (IPT) Lead for thermal design and analysis, coordinating directly with customer technical leads and program management.
Present analysis results, design recommendations, and technical findings to customers, internal leadership, and independent reviewers.
Participate in and present technical information at Preliminary Design Reviews (PDRs), Critical Design Reviews (CDRs), and Technical Interchange Meetings (TIMs).
Collaborate with structural, systems, electrical, manufacturing, performance, quality, and configuration management teams to resolve technical issues and finalize designs.
Coordinate with external suppliers and customers to ensure technical compliance and successful program execution.
Develop thermal test plans and support the manufacturing, integration, and testing of spacecraft payloads and sensor systems.
Support new business development, technical proposals, and engineering initiatives.
Manage multiple assignments in a fast-paced environment while adapting to evolving technical and program priorities.
Required Qualifications
Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering or a related engineering or scientific discipline with 9+ years of relevant professional experience, or a master’s degree with 7+ years of relevant professional experience.
7+ years of experience using thermal analysis tools, such as Thermal Desktop (preferred), SINDA, FloTHERM, Icepak, or equivalent software.
5+ years of experience leading multidisciplinary mechanical engineering teams through system requirements, design, analysis, testing, hardware build, delivery, and launch.
Demonstrated experience in thermal analysis of mechanical and electronic systems operating in space, aerospace, or ground environments.
Professional experience with thermal vacuum (TVAC) testing.
Strong understanding of aerospace thermal engineering, spacecraft payload architectures, and thermal control technologies.
Preferred Additional Skills
Experience with finite element analysis (FEA) software and thermal-structural modeling.
Knowledge of optical payload thermal management and thermally induced optical error mitigation.
Experience with heat pipes, radiative heat transfer, thermal blankets, surface coatings, heater tapes, and thermistors.
Ability to develop and present well-documented engineering analyses, calculations, and design recommendations.
Strong analytical and troubleshooting skills, with the ability to identify root causes and drive technical issues to resolution.
Experience leading engineering teams from conceptual design through detailed design, integration, and testing.
Previous experience as a Lead Engineer, Project Engineer, or Integrated Product Team (IPT) Lead.
Experience mentoring engineers in thermal modeling, analysis methodologies, and engineering software.
Proficiency in Microsoft Office applications, including Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.
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