Senior Mechanical Engineer, Thermal Protection Systems

Canopy A&D•Cape Canaveral, FL

19h•Onsite

About The Position

Canopy Aerospace & Defense is seeking a Senior Mechanical Engineer to own the end-to-end design and delivery of novel Thermal Protection Systems (TPS) solutions. The role works closely with aerothermal, structures, design, materials, test, and manufacturing teams to transition TPS concepts from simulation into physical, flight-ready hardware for space and hypersonic platforms. The engineer is expected to be self-motivated, comfortable working in ambiguity, and capable of leading projects through completion. The position includes ownership of TPS components and subassemblies from requirements definition through hardware delivery; evaluating materials and architectures; translating thermal and aerodynamic loads into mechanical designs; and supporting testing and design iteration using empirical results. The engineer will also serve as a technical subject-matter expert, contribute to proposals and new products, and support the organization’s strategic defense growth objectives. This is a full-time, salary-exempt role based in Cape Canaveral, Florida, with travel of up to 25%. The salary range is $130,000–$180,000. The work may involve office, laboratory, and manufacturing environments, occasional exposure to noise, dust, and temperature variations, and occasional travel to customer or test sites.

Requirements

At least 4 years of direct, verifiable experience designing and owning TPS components or assemblies qualified through flight or high-enthalpy testing, such as testing at NASA Ames or AEDC arc-jet facilities.
Comprehensive knowledge of TPS materials and architectures, including thermal blankets, ablative carbon composites, rigid ceramics, and cryogenic insulation for re-entry and hypersonic environments.
Full-lifecycle hardware design experience from concept through manufacturing, including 3D CAD modeling, drawing release, and application of GD&T.
Strong technical foundation in structural mechanics, materials science, thermodynamics, heat transfer, and ablation mechanics.
Demonstrated ability to deliver hardware on accelerated schedules using pragmatic, creative engineering solutions.
Strong interdisciplinary communication skills and ability to convey complex technical concepts across cross-functional teams.
Active Secret clearance or higher, or ability to obtain and maintain one, including meeting U.S. government background and export-control requirements.
Professional working proficiency in reading, writing, and speaking English.
Ability to work in office, laboratory, and manufacturing environments, with occasional exposure to noise, dust, and temperature variations.
Ability to lift and carry up to 35 pounds and perform tasks involving standing, walking, bending, and manual assembly.
Visual acuity for reading technical drawings, inspecting components, and operating precision instruments.
Ability to travel occasionally to customer or test sites, including outdoor or industrial settings, while following company and OSHA safety protocols.
Must meet the stated U.S. export-control eligibility requirements: be a U.S. citizen, lawful permanent resident, protected individual under 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3), or eligible to obtain required U.S. Department of State authorizations.

Nice To Haves

Graduate degree in Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, Materials Science, or a related technical field.
Direct ownership of a TPS system that successfully operated and survived in a flight environment.
Experience designing, testing, or integrating re-entry systems, launch vehicles, or hypersonic platforms.
Experience planning and estimating complex projects, constructing bids and Basis of Estimates (BOEs), and developing technical schedules that were successfully executed.
Track record of writing and winning IRAD and/or CRAD proposals.
Experience interfacing directly with government customers, including DoW and NASA, and commercial customers to define requirements and deliver technical updates.
Experience interfacing with, auditing, and managing suppliers in the TPS and advanced materials space.
Strong background in the defense sector.
Familiarity with space and defense standards such as SMS-S-016, MIL-STD-810, NASA-GSFC-7000 series, or equivalent standards for design, analysis, and testing of defense articles.

Responsibilities

Own TPS components and subassemblies end to end, from initial requirements definition through final hardware delivery.
Lead material trade studies balancing thermal survivability, structural integrity, and manufacturing constraints in hypersonic regimes.
Collaborate with aerothermal, design, materials, and test teams to translate heat flux and aerodynamic loads into robust mechanical designs.
Develop detailed CAD models, drawings, and interface control documents; work directly with manufacturing to ensure parts are built to specification.
Support testing campaigns such as arc-jet tests, rapidly reduce raw data, draw actionable conclusions, and iterate designs based on empirical results.
Serve as the TPS subject-matter expert and maintain knowledge of current and next-generation technologies.
Lead technical sections of proposals and new products that enhance technical capabilities and support strategic defense growth objectives.