Senior Systems Engineer - Thermal

Lunar Outpost • Golden, CO

3d

About The Position

Lunar Outpost is seeking a talented, experienced Senior Systems Engineer - Thermal to help define the future of lunar surface mobility in a fast-paced startup environment. This role involves supervising requirements management, standards compliance, verification, validation, and testing activities, defining and maintaining subsystem interfaces, and providing technical oversight for vendors and subcontractors working on the thermal system.

Requirements

• 5 –10 years of relevant spacecraft or aerospace thermal systems experience
• Bachelor’s degree or higher in Mechanical, Aerospace, or related field
• Demonstrated experience with requirements development, flowdown, traceability and verification (Jama or similar tools preferred)
• Experience defining and managing interfaces (ICDs) across multidisciplinary systems
• Direct experience supporting or executing thermal test campaigns
• Working knowledge of passive and active thermal control hardware: MLI, heaters, radiators, coatings, heat pipes, fluid loops
• Strong understanding of space thermal environments and heat transfer in space environments (radiation-dominated systems)
• Ability to operate autonomously and take initiative
• Excellent organization and time management skills
• U.S. Person

Nice To Haves

• Familiarity with Thermal Desktop, SINDA/FLUINT, or equivalent tools
• Startup or rapid development program experience
• Experience with NASA/DoD standards (GEVS, MIL-STD)
• Experience with verification method selection and standards tailoring based on risk posture
• Thermal instrumentation and test data analysis experience
• Exposure to hardware/software integration
• Experience supporting configuration management and change control processes

Responsibilities

• Support the Thermal IPT Lead in defining and maintaining thermal subsystem requirements, including allocation, traceability, and verification planning
• Develop and maintain interface definitions (ICDs) between thermal hardware and spacecraft subsystems (structures, avionics, propulsion, EPS)
• Coordinate with Thermal Analysis, Mechanical Design, and Systems Engineering to ensure design closure and requirements compliance
• Contribute to verification & validation (V&V) planning, including definition of test methods, success criteria, and requirement mapping
• Develop and execute thermal test plans (component, subsystem, and vehicle-level), including thermal balance and TVAC campaigns
• Support integration and test (I&T) activities, including instrumentation planning, test setup definition, and data review
• Generate and maintain engineering documentation (ICDs, test plans, procedures, verification matrices)
• Support procurement and build of thermal hardware, including vendor coordination and drawing reviews
• Participate in internal and customer design reviews (SRR/PDR/CDR) and present status, risks, and technical findings
• Identify and communicate risks, gaps, and integration issues, proactively driving resolution in a fast-paced development environment

Benefits

• Comprehensive health coverage: Medical, dental, and vision benefits, with 70% of premiums covered by the employer
• Paid time off: Three (3) weeks per year of vacation
• Retirement plan: Up to 4% employer match on 401(k) contributions
• Paid holidays: 11 company-recognized holidays
• Parental leave
• Educational reimbursement opportunities

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior