Senior Thermal Control System (TCS) Design Engineer

K2 Space•Los Angeles, CA

2d•$140,000 - $175,000

About The Position

K2 is building the largest and highest-power satellites ever flown, unlocking performance levels previously out of reach across every orbit. The company is mass-producing the highest-power satellite platforms ever built for missions from LEO to deep space. The rise of heavy-lift launch vehicles is shifting the industry from an era of mass constraint to one of mass abundance, and this new era demands a fundamentally different class of spacecraft. Engineered to survive the harshest radiation environments and to fully capitalize on today’s and tomorrow’s massive rockets, K2 satellites deliver unmatched capability at constellation scale and across multiple orbits. With multiple launches planned through 2026 and 2027, K2 is Building Bigger to develop the solar system and become a Kardashev Type II (K2) civilization. This role is for a motivated individual who thrives in a fast-paced environment and is excited about contributing to the success of a groundbreaking Series C space startup. You will own the success of developing, implementing and testing both R&D and production thermal control systems on the spacecraft. You will be responsible for spearheading the design and verification efforts of active and passive thermal control systems including, but not limited to, pump fluid loops, heat pipes and all of the required ground supporting equipment (test fixtures, diagnostic equipment, instrumentation, software tools etc.). Your work will require familiarity with pressurized systems (valves, pumps, accumulators, heat exchangers), thermo-mechanical instrumentation (temperature sensors, pressure sensors, flow meters etc.), integrated electronics systems, and secondary satellite structures. You will partner with design engineers early on in the process to ensure manufacturability while building the first prototype, design the build flow, and finalize the process for transition to production.

Requirements

5+ years of experience with thermal test experience in a high-rate manufacturing environment
2+ years of experience with sizing and testing fluid systems including pumps, valves, accumulators, heat exchanger, cold plates etc.
Demonstrated experience with data acquisition for thermal and power related applications
Experience with test plan development and execution
Strong experience with thermal and TVAC testing including setup, instrumentation, and troubleshooting
Demonstrated knowledge of NX or AutoCAD is preferred to design test fixtures

Nice To Haves

Experience with basic and statistical data analysis
Experience with Thermal Desktop for thermal analysis
Experience with signal conditioning to define optimal acquisition rate and understand when signal-to-noise ratio is not acceptable
Experience with pumps testing
Experience with avionics testing
Experience with testing refrigeration systems

Responsibilities

Work with lead engineers to design active and passive thermal control systems using basic heat transfer and mechanical equations to size lines, pumps, accumulators, cold plates etc.
Planning and development of thermal cycle and thermal-vacuum testing campaigns
Design and development of heater and cooling systems including control architecture
Setup, commission, and maintain state-of-the-art test stands and instrumentation
Develop data acquisition systems for active and passive thermal control systems
Perform tests on novel pump fluid loop including feed systems, power electronics, and hardware-in-the-loop
Develop testing and control scripts to conduct safe and reliable test campaigns of pump fluid loop and individual components
Create formal documentation for development and production: test procedures, test reports, and standard operating procedures
Troubleshoot electrical and mechanical test setups and hardware
Document, compile, analyze, and present test data