Spacecraft Thermal Engineer

The Aerospace Corporation • El Segundo, CA

2d

About The Position

The Aerospace Corporation is seeking a Spacecraft Thermal Engineer at the Member or Senior Member of the Technical Staff level. The role is part of the Thermal Control Department within the Vehicle Systems Division, which provides research, engineering, evaluation, design, integration, test, and operational support across space systems. The department performs technical studies, experimental investigations, and real-time assessments to support customer decisions on spacecraft thermal control systems.

The successful applicant will support classified and unclassified spacecraft programs, with an emphasis on classified systems. They will serve as a thermal subject matter expert, working with internal and external customers to identify and resolve design, workmanship, and performance issues involving spacecraft and payload thermal control subsystems. They will lead or conduct analysis, modeling, simulation, experimental investigations, and design assessments, and participate in requirements, integration, testing, and flight operations. The role also involves developing department capabilities and knowledge in thermal systems engineering and providing technical leadership to teams of two or more people.

Requirements

• B.S. degree in mechanical engineering, aerospace engineering, or a closely related field, with emphasis in heat transfer or thermal sciences.
• At least 1 year of thermal engineering experience for the Member of the Technical Staff level; at least 4 years for the Senior Member of the Technical Staff level.
• Experience with the design, analysis, manufacturing, testing, and operation of spacecraft thermal control systems across relevant heat-transfer modes, both active and passive, and multiple program lifecycle phases.
• Experience with SINDA/FLUINT and Thermal Desktop software.
• Experience with thermal vacuum (TVAC), thermal cycle, and other environmental test programs.
• Willingness to travel occasionally to customer or contractor facilities, approximately 10% of the time.
• Ability to maintain a TS/SCI security clearance issued by the U.S. government; U.S. citizenship is required to obtain a clearance.
• For the Senior Member level: experience providing system-level thermal engineering support for at least one spacecraft program across at least two major phases, such as architecture, design, manufacturing, test, or flight.
• For the Senior Member level: experience participating in integrated-team thermal engineering efforts, such as innovation projects, concurrent engineering, digital engineering, vehicle-level thermal design, hosted or multiple-payload missions, or anomaly and root-cause investigation involving two or more people.

Nice To Haves

• M.S. or Ph.D. in mechanical engineering, aerospace engineering, or a closely related field, with emphasis in heat transfer or thermal sciences.
• At least 4 years of direct spacecraft thermal engineering experience.
• Knowledge of cryogenics, two-phase thermophysics and heat pipes, or thermodynamics.
• Experience in adjacent spaceflight hardware engineering disciplines, such as systems engineering, control systems, fluid or propulsion systems, power systems, flight software, telemetry systems, or integration and test.
• Demonstrated ability to conduct and lead research and development tasks.
• Current and active Secret or higher security clearance.
• Experience with other applicable software, including TSS, EES, SolidWorks, SpaceClaim, CAMEO, and scripting languages such as FORTRAN and Python.

Responsibilities

• Engage with internal and external customers to identify, track, and resolve design, workmanship, and performance issues relating to space vehicle and payload thermal control subsystems.
• Serve as the thermal subject matter expert for spacecraft and payload thermal control systems.
• Lead and conduct analysis, modeling, simulation, experimental investigations, and assessments of spacecraft thermal control system designs, concepts, and components.
• Participate in and review thermal subsystem requirements, allocations, design, integration, testing, and flight operations.
• Curate department knowledge and capabilities in thermal systems engineering, thermal analysis and design, and thermal control hardware.
• Provide thermal engineering technical leadership to teams of two or more people supporting programs, inter-department projects, and broader engagement efforts.

Benefits

• Comprehensive health care and wellness plans
• Paid holidays, sick time, and vacation
• Standard and alternate work schedules, including telework options
• 401(k) plan with company-paid contributions based on years of service and matching contributions; employees are immediately eligible and vested upon hire
• Flexible spending accounts
• Variable pay program for exceptional contributions
• Relocation assistance
• Professional growth and development programs
• Education assistance programs
• Inclusive work environment built on teamwork, flexibility, and respect

What This Job Offers

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