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

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, and analysis for advanced space-based electro-optical missions. The role is responsible for architecting and validating thermal solutions that support mission success across multiple orbital environments. The engineer will provide technical leadership on spacecraft thermal strategy, mentor other engineers, and collaborate with multidisciplinary teams. The position includes defining thermal architecture, strategies, and requirements; developing models and analyses for mission phases and environmental conditions; and creating and validating thermal control hardware. The engineer will own thermal performance budgets and flow requirements down to payloads and spacecraft subsystems, assess thermal effects of system and operational changes, and lead thermal modeling and analysis using industry-standard tools. The role also provides leadership for spacecraft hardware integration and testing, including thermal vacuum testing, anomaly resolution, and correlation of test results with analysis. The engineer will prepare technical documentation and support environmental considerations throughout the mission life cycle. The position is on-site in Palm Bay, Florida, or Fort Wayne, Indiana, and follows a 9/80 schedule: employees work 9 days in each 14-day period, totaling 80 hours, with every other Friday off. Relocation assistance is available to qualified applicants. The ability to obtain a U.S. security clearance is required.

Requirements

Bachelor of Science degree 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 a security clearance.
Deep understanding of spacecraft materials, thermal coatings, MLI, conductive interfaces, and active thermal control elements.
Demonstrated success developing, validating, and correlating thermal models to thermal vacuum test 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 multiphase 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

Serve as technical lead for spacecraft-level thermal design and define architecture, strategies, and requirements for high-reliability space vehicles.
Develop detailed thermal models and analyses for all mission phases, including worst-case hot and cold environments, eclipse conditions, orbital variations, and mission-specific scenarios.
Lead the creation and validation of thermal control hardware, including radiators, coatings, heat pipes, surface finishes, heaters, insulation, 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 math-physics models using tools such as Thermal Desktop, Flowtherm, SINDA/FLUINT, ESATAN-TMS, or equivalent.
Provide leadership during spacecraft hardware build, integration, and test, including thermal vacuum planning and execution, anomaly resolution, and correlation of test results to analysis.
Guide environmental considerations for space platforms, 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.