Thermal Engineer (Avionics & PCB Systems)

Mach Industries•Huntington Beach, CA

About The Position

About Mach Industries Founded in 2022, Mach Industries is a rapidly growing defense technology company focused on developing next-generation autonomous defense platforms. At the core of our mission is the commitment to delivering scalable, decentralized defense systems that enhance the strategic capabilities of the United States and its allies. With a workforce of approximately 220 employees, we operate with startup agility and ambition. Our vision is to redefine the future of warfare through cutting-edge manufacturing, innovation at speed, and unwavering focus on national security. We are dedicated to solving the next generation of warfare with lethal systems that deter kinetic conflict and protect global security.

Requirements

Experience in electronics/PCB thermal analysis (avionics, power electronics, or similar).
Strong grasp of conduction and radiation-dominated heat transfer and transient thermal behavior.
Proficiency with thermal tools (Icepak, Fluent, Thermal Desktop, or equivalent).
Experience with thermal testing and validation of electronics hardware.
Ability to work cross-functionally with software, electrical, and mechanical teams.

Nice To Haves

Experience optimizing PCB layout for thermal performance (placement, planes, vias).
Background in avionics or embedded electronics thermal design.
Experience with high power-density or transient thermal loads.
Experience with heat sink design.
Experience with high altitude or space systems.
Familiarity with chassis/enclosure integration and low-convection environments.
Experience building custom analysis tools (Python/MATLAB) or rapid trade studies.

Responsibilities

Own thermal design and analysis of avionics components, including PCBAs, COTS electronic devices, and custom enclosures.
Predict and manage junction temperatures, heat spreading, coldspots, and hotspots under mission-relevant conditions.
Provide guidance on component placement, stackups, copper, and via strategies for optimizing thermal performance.
Design conduction paths and interfaces (PCB → chassis, TIMs, contact resistances).
Plan and execute board-level thermal testing and model correlation (thermocouples, IR, model validation).