Manager - Structures Engineering & Thermal Analysis

MDA•Brampton, ON

4h•Onsite

About The Position

MDA Space is seeking an experienced people leader with a strong background in structural and thermal analysis to join their Brampton team. The Manager, Structures & Thermal Analysis is a member of the engineering leadership team and reports to the Senior Manager, Mechanical Engineering. This role leads the structural and thermal analysis discipline supporting both hardware unit development and full spacecraft systems. The Manager is accountable for technical quality, consistent methods, and strong execution of structural and thermal analysis across integrated product teams and program environments. The Manager supports the Senior Manager, Mechanical Engineering in shaping department and corporate strategic planning cycles for analysis capability, capacity, and tooling. The role continuously aligns, improves, and modernizes analysis practices to improve delivery performance, technical rigor, employee engagement, and customer satisfaction. The Manager oversees recruitment, retention, development, and succession planning for the Structures and Thermal Analysis team, and champions the adoption of next-generation simulation tools, techniques, and procedures. This role drives scalable processes and best practices to ensure analyses are repeatable, auditable, and aligned to qualification and verification needs. This role is accountable for the structural and thermal analysis function, including methods, execution, reviews, and test correlation. The team provides clear technical direction and subject matter expertise to design, systems, AIT, program, and operations stakeholders, enabling early risk reduction and confident design decisions across mission-critical products.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or equivalent.
10+ years of experience in structural and/or thermal analysis for aerospace, space, or other safety-/mission-critical products.
5+ years of people leadership and/or functional leadership experience (managing or supervising engineering teams and/or leading a technical discipline).
Deep expertise with FEA tools (e.g., NASTRAN, Simcenter 3D, ANSYS, Thermal Desktop) and strong proficiency in developing high-quality models and reviewing others’ work.
Strong understanding of spacecraft structural and/or thermal environments and verification approaches (static/dynamic loads, launch environments, thermal conditions, qualification vs. acceptance testing).
Experience correlating analysis with test results (e.g., modal survey, vibration, acoustic/shock, thermal vacuum/thermal balance) and driving closure of discrepancies.
Demonstrated ability to set technical direction within a specialized domain, communicate risk and margins clearly, and influence cross-functional design decisions.
Strong project execution skills, including prioritization across multiple programs, schedule ownership for analysis deliverables, and stakeholder communication.
Excellent verbal and written communication skills.

Nice To Haves

Experience with spacecraft-level structural and/or thermal analysis, qualification, and verification planning.
Familiarity with ESA ECSS and/or NASA standards and associated verification and documentation practices.
Experience supporting both unit-level and system-level development, including load/thermal environments definition and subsystem-to-system interfaces.
Experience defining, managing, or modernizing simulation toolchains (including automation, model/data management, and compute infrastructure).
Exposure to multi-physics coupling topics (e.g., thermal distortion, thermo-elastic effects, structural-thermal interactions) and design trades.
Eng designation in Ontario (or eligibility to obtain) is considered an asset.

Responsibilities

Set direction and strategy for the structures and thermal analysis discipline in alignment with department objectives. Establish capability roadmaps (methods, tools, capacity) to support unit-level development and spacecraft system programs.
Lead and/or oversee structural and thermal analysis for mission-critical hardware and spacecraft systems (static, buckling, modal, random vibration/shock, acoustic, fatigue, thermal balance, and thermal distortion as applicable). Ensure margins to requirements are demonstrated and risks are identified, mitigated, and communicated.
Define modeling strategies, verification approaches, and analysis plans (including assumptions, load/thermal cases, correlation strategy, and acceptance criteria). Ensure work products are traceable, reviewable, and aligned with program verification and qualification needs.
Partner with mechanical design, systems engineering, electrical, AIT, and program teams to incorporate structural and thermal considerations early. Provide actionable recommendations to guide architecture, design trades, material selection, and test planning.
Proactively identify technical and execution risks (multi-physics coupling, margins, environments, model validity, test-to-analysis gaps). Act as a first-line escalation point and drive timely resolution with stakeholders.
Lead discipline reviews and contribute to program-level reviews to ensure analysis quality, consistency, and readiness for design release, qualification, and delivery.
Provide independent assessment of structural and thermal risks and readiness throughout the program lifecycle. Support Engineering Review Teams in identifying mitigations, closure plans, and verification evidence.
Recruit, onboard, assign, coach, and evaluate structures and thermal analysts. Conduct regular one-on-ones, provide timely performance feedback, and partner with senior leadership on career development, progression, and succession planning.
Own discipline capacity planning, prioritization, and staffing to support program execution, R&D, and business development. Balance urgent program needs with long-term capability building and ensure on-time delivery of analysis work products.
Strengthen collaboration with engineering, program management, manufacturing/production, quality, supply chain, and test teams to ensure analysis assumptions reflect as-built realities and verification plans are executable.
Provide timely analysis leadership support for technical inquiries, design changes, nonconformances, and anomaly investigations, ensuring stakeholders have clear, risk-informed recommendations.
Establish a strong review culture (peer reviews, checklists, sign-off criteria). Mentor engineers to increase technical depth, judgment, and autonomy, and ensure consistent application of best practices across teams.
Drive development and improvement of analysis methods, tools, and workflows (e.g., FEA/thermal toolchains, pre/post-processing, model management, automation, and documentation). Ensure consistency, reliability, and scalability of simulation approaches aligned with organizational direction and applicable standards.
Define, steer, and report discipline KPIs (e.g., analysis schedule adherence, review findings closure, correlation quality, model reuse, and process compliance). Provide accurate and timely updates to senior management on technical risk, workload, and delivery performance.
Plan, justify, and administer operating budgets for analysis tools, compute resources, training, and external support as required.
Ensure compliance with occupational health & safety legislation, AS‑9100 quality standards, and any applicable industry related regulations.