Founding Thermal Engineer

Founding Thermal Engineer (Lead)- New Space/Energy- Southern California

Early-stage aerospace and advanced energy startup developing high-power space systems is seeking a Thermal Engineer to lead the full lifecycle of thermal system development, from architecture and analysis to testing, integration, and flight readiness. This role will own spacecraft thermal design, thermal modeling, trade studies, and thermal testing while collaborating across engineering disciplines to define thermal control requirements and establish thermal engineering standards.

Key Qualifications:

• 8+ years of experience in thermal engineering, preferably in aerospace or high-performance systems
• Expertise in thermal analysis, thermal modeling, and spacecraft thermal control systems
• Experience with active and passive thermal management, thermal vacuum (TVac) testing, and thermal design trade studies
• Proficiency with tools such as COMSOL, ANSYS, or similar
• Strong problem-solving skills and ability to work independently in a fast-paced R&D environment

Preferred Experience:

• Spacecraft thermal systems across the full program lifecycle
• Multi-layer insulation (MLI), heat pipes, pumped fluid systems, thermal blankets, and optical coatings
• Leading cross-functional thermal engineering efforts, vehicle-level thermal design, and anomaly resolution investigations
• Design, analysis, testing, manufacturing, and operation of spacecraft thermal control systems for space applications.