Spacecraft Thermal Engineer

Luke Johnson - Embedded Software, Firmware, Electronics; Sydney; On-site; AUD 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive salary

Equity (ESOP)

Annual leave

Public holidays

Job summary

Spacecraft Thermal Engineer role in Sydney, Australia. Our client, a growing engineering and technology company, develops advanced systems for challenging environments.

You will work across disciplines with mechanical, electrical, systems, manufacturing, and test teams to move designs from analysis through to testing and deployment. You will develop thermal models, perform analyses under varying conditions, support thermal control design, conduct first-principles calculations, and contribute to

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree or higher in Mechanical, Aerospace, Space Systems, or a related engineering discipline.
• 2+ years of experience in thermal analysis and/or thermal design.
• Hands-on experience developing and running thermal models using an industry-standard tool such as Thermal Desktop, Systema/Thermica, ESATAN‑TMS, NX Space Systems Thermal, or equivalent.
• Understanding of thermal analysis principles and the environmental factors that influence thermal performance.
• Ability to perform first-principles calculations and independently validate model results.
• Understanding of passive and active thermal control methods, including selection, sizing, and integration considerations.
• Strong systems-thinking and multidisciplinary engineering skills.

Responsibilities

• Develop, run, and maintain thermal models for systems, subsystems, and components.
• Perform thermal analysis across a range of operating and environmental conditions.
• Define thermal cases and assumptions that support engineering and design decisions.
• Support the design and sizing of active and passive thermal control solutions.
• Perform first-principles calculations, hand calculations, and first-order analysis to validate results.
• Conduct thermal trade studies considering performance, mass, power, cost, manufacturability, and operational requirements.
• Support thermal testing and validation activities and correlate analysis with test results.
• Prepare technical reports, analysis documentation, design notes, and review materials.
• Work closely with multidisciplinary engineering teams to resolve thermal issues and support system-level decisions.
• Develop and improve thermal analysis tools, models, databases, and post-processing workflows.
• Contribute to continuous improvement of engineering methods, processes, and tools.

Skills

Analytical thinking

Problem solving

Collaborative

Independent working

Willingness to learn

Education

Bachelor's degree in Mechanical, Aerospace, Space Systems, or related engineering

Tools

Thermal Desktop

Systema/Thermica

ESATAN‑TMS

NX Space Systems Thermal

Job description

Spacecraft Thermal Engineer

Our client is a growing engineering and technology company developing advanced systems for challenging and high-performance environments.

Their multidisciplinary team brings together engineers, designers, and technical specialists to develop innovative products from concept through to testing and deployment.

They operate in a fast-paced environment where engineers have the opportunity to take ownership, work across disciplines, and contribute directly to the development of new technology.

You’ll have the opportunity to work on challenging engineering projects, develop your technical skills, and see your work progress from analysis and design through to testing and real-world application.

Working closely with engineers across mechanical, electrical, systems, manufacturing, and test functions, you will contribute throughout the product development lifecycle — from early design and analysis through to testing and validation.

• Develop, run, and maintain thermal models for systems, subsystems, and components.
• Perform thermal analysis across a range of operating and environmental conditions.
• Define thermal cases and assumptions that support engineering and design decisions.
• Support the design and sizing of active and passive thermal control solutions.
• Perform first-principles calculations, hand calculations, and first-order analysis to validate results.
• Conduct thermal trade studies considering performance, mass, power, cost, manufacturability, and operational requirements.
• Support thermal testing and validation activities and correlate analysis with test results.
• Prepare technical reports, analysis documentation, design notes, and review materials.
• Work closely with multidisciplinary engineering teams to resolve thermal issues and support system-level decisions.
• Develop and improve thermal analysis tools, models, databases, and post-processing workflows.
• Contribute to continuous improvement of engineering methods, processes, and tools.

About You

• A hands‑on and practical engineering mindset.
• Strong analytical and problem‑solving skills.
• An ability to turn analysis and simulation results into practical engineering solutions.
• A collaborative approach and confidence working across multiple engineering disciplines.
• The ability to work independently, take ownership, and make decisions in a fast‑moving environment.
• A willingness to learn and work across areas outside your immediate technical discipline.

Proven Experience

• Bachelor's degree or higher in Mechanical, Aerospace, Space Systems, or a related engineering discipline.
• 2+ years of experience in thermal analysis and/or thermal design.
• Hands‑on experience developing and running thermal models using an industry‑standard tool such as Thermal Desktop, Systema/Thermica, ESATAN‑TMS, NX Space Systems Thermal, or equivalent.
• Understanding of thermal analysis principles and the environmental factors that influence thermal performance.
• Ability to perform first‑principles calculations and independently validate model results.
• Understanding of passive and active thermal control methods, including selection, sizing, and integration considerations.
• Strong systems‑thinking and multidisciplinary engineering skills.

Desirable Experience

• Familiarity with relevant engineering standards such as ECSS, NASA, or MIL‑STD.
• Experience with thermal testing and test correlation.
• Experience translating operating modes, mission profiles, or system requirements into thermal analysis inputs.
• Experience with materials, coatings, radiation, contamination, outgassing, or other environmental considerations.
• Experience with fluids and/or propulsion systems.
• Experience using Python for analysis, data processing, automation, or reporting.
• Understanding of systems engineering, requirements management, verification, and validation.
• Experience working in a start‑up, New‑Space, or fast‑paced product development environment.

You must have working rights in Australia to be eligible for this position.

Benefits

• Competitive salary – Fair pay for hard work. Commensurate with experience and the impact you’ll have.
• Meaningful equity (ESOP) – Real ownership stake. Stock options that matter because you’re joining early enough for them to matter.
• Actual leave – Annual leave plus personal/sick days.
• Public holidays – All of them.