Lead, Mechanical Engineer (Thermal) - Space Vehicle and Payload Thermal

L3Harris Technologies•Palm Bay, FL

9d•Onsite

About The Position

L3Harris is seeking an experienced Lead Thermal Engineer to lead spacecraft-level thermal design, modeling, analysis, and testing for advanced space-based electro-optical missions. The role involves architecting and validating thermal solutions for mission success across multiple orbital environments. The successful candidate will provide technical expertise and leadership, mentor engineers, and collaborate across multidisciplinary teams. The position is on-site in Palm Bay, Florida, or Fort Wayne, Indiana. The work schedule is 9/80: employees work nine days in each 14-day period, totaling 80 hours, and have every other Friday off. Relocation assistance is available to qualified applicants.

Requirements

Bachelor of Science in Engineering and at least 9 years of relevant experience; or a graduate degree in Engineering and at least 7 years of related experience; or at least 13 years of related experience in lieu of a degree.
At least 5 years of professional experience using Thermal Desktop.
Prior or current professional experience with thermal design and analysis for space environments or products.
At least 2 years of experience as an IPTL or providing technical leadership to an engineering team.
Ability to obtain a U.S. security clearance.

Nice To Haves

Experience designing for a space environment.
Current security clearance, or ability to obtain one.
Deep understanding of spacecraft materials, thermal coatings, MLI, conductive interfaces, and active thermal-control elements.
Demonstrated success developing, validating, and correlating thermal models to TVAC results.
Ability to lead design reviews, guide complex decision-making, and communicate clearly with customers, leadership, and engineering teams.
Experience working on government, DoD, or national security space missions.
Knowledge of mission-specific environments such as GEO, LEO, cislunar, or deep space.
Broad knowledge of thermal-fluids physics, including heat conduction and convection of multi-phase flows.
Experience creating and overseeing development of thermal testing control logic in SINDA/FLUENT.
Familiarity with structural-thermal-optical (STOP) analysis, deployment-mechanism thermal behavior, or thermal considerations in RF/high-power payloads.
Experience with reliability assessments, derating, and long-duration thermal-performance modeling.

Responsibilities

Lead spacecraft-level thermal design and define architecture, strategies, and requirements for high-reliability space vehicles.
Develop detailed thermal models and analyses for mission phases and scenarios, including worst-case hot and cold environments, eclipses, and orbital variations.
Lead the creation and validation of thermal-control hardware, including radiators, coatings, heat pipes, surface finishes, insulation, heaters, and conductive interfaces.
Own thermal performance budgets and flow down requirements to payloads, avionics, structures, and propulsion subsystems.
Evaluate thermal impacts of system trades, configuration changes, power profiles, and operational timelines.
Direct development of thermal mathematical models using Thermal Desktop, SINDA/FLUINT, ESATAN-TMS, or equivalent tools.
Lead spacecraft hardware build, integration, and test activities, including thermal vacuum (TVAC) planning and execution, anomaly resolution, and test-result correlation to analysis.
Guide consideration of space-platform environmental factors, including radiation, conduction, convection-free behavior, material properties, surface degradation, and mission-life effects.
Collaborate with systems engineering, mechanical design, power, RF, digital hardware, manufacturing, and mission assurance teams.
Mentor junior- and mid-level engineers, establish best practices, and drive continuous improvement in thermal engineering processes.
Prepare thermal requirements, analysis reports, review packages, test plans, and verification matrices.