Thermal Analysis Engineer

Craig Technologies • Merritt Island, FL

5h • Onsite

About The Position

Craig Technologies is seeking an innovative and cutting-edge Thermal Analysis Engineer to join our team in Houston, TX and Merritt Island, FL. The candidate will support the detailed thermal modeling, analysis, and environmental verification of spacecraft and aerospace systems destined for cislunar and lunar orbit missions. This role is responsible for ensuring components, payloads, and fully integrated vehicles can survive the extreme thermal extremes of deep space, alternating between intense direct solar radiation and prolonged, battery-draining eclipse periods.

Requirements

• Strong analytical, mathematical, and problem-solving skills with a highly meticulous attention to detail.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills with the ability to convey complex thermal gradient data and margin risks clearly.
• Flexible and adaptable mindset to pivot seamlessly across shifting project priorities, commercial client deadlines, and mission targets.
• Collaborative, team-focused approach to contributing on multidisciplinary aerospace engineering projects.
• Bachelor's, Master’s, or Ph.D. in Aerospace Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or a highly related technical field plus a minimum of 3-5 years of experience in aerospace thermal control systems.
• Minimally 3-5 years of direct experience in spacecraft thermal modeling, simulation, and the application of complex heat transfer principles (conduction, radiation, and orbital environmental heat fluxes).
• Proficiency with Thermal Desktop (SINDA/FLUINT) or equivalent aerospace thermal analysis simulation tools.
• Familiarity with aerospace industry standards for thermal design, space environment mitigations, and planetary/lunar albedo heating vectors.
• US citizenship required.

Nice To Haves

• Experience with clean-room integrations, flight thermocouple placement, and hands-on monitoring of physical TVAC test chambers is a plus.

Responsibilities

• Conduct detailed thermal analyses of spacecraft systems, subsystems, and payloads across all active mission phases using Thermal Desktop or equivalent software.
• Analyze and predict the transient and steady-state thermal behavior of active components under varied deep-space, cislunar, and lunar orbit environmental loads.
• Develop, refine, and correlate high-fidelity thermal models to optimize thermal control system architectures.
• Design, evaluate, and optimize passive and active thermal control systems, including radiators, heat pipes, heaters, thermal interface materials, and multi-layer insulation (MLI) blankets.
• Plan and execute rigorous environmental testing campaigns, specifically Thermal Vacuum (TVAC) profiles, to ensure compliance with mission-specific requirements.
• Analyze empirical test telemetry and correlate test data back into analytical thermal models to lock in flight prediction accuracy.
• Collaborate closely with design, structural, systems, and test engineering teams to integrate cross-disciplinary thermal management strategies throughout the spacecraft lifecycle.
• Generate clear thermal documentation, including design analysis reports (ITAR-compliant where necessary), operational hardware specifications, and environmental test plans for internal stakeholders and commercial clients.
• Stay current with emerging aerospace thermal control technologies, space-qualification workflows, and analytical best practices to contribute to internal process improvements.
• Other duties as assigned.

Benefits

• All candidates selected will be subject to a background investigation and drug screen.
• All candidates selected will be subject to a security background investigation and must meet all eligibility requirements for access to classified information.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level
• Education Level: Ph.D. or professional degree