Senior Thermal Engineer

Lever, Inc.; Luxemburg; On-site; EUR 75,000 - 110,000; Full time

Job summary

ispace EUROPE seeks a Senior Thermal Engineer in Luxembourg to lead spacecraft thermal design, analysis, and verification for challenging lunar rover concepts. You will develop thermal models, perform multi-phase analyses, and ensure hardware stays within safe limits through launch to surface operations.

Based in Luxembourg, you will collaborate across mechanical, electrical, and systems teams, driving test campaigns (TVAC) and delivering high-quality documentation to advance sustainable lunar

Qualifications

• Degree in aerospace or mechanical engineering or related field.
• 5–8+ years of spacecraft thermal design, analysis and testing.
• Proficiency with Thermal Desktop or ESATAN and 0D/1D modeling.
• Experience with active and passive thermal control systems.
• Hands-on TVAC testing experience and data correlation.
• Ability to lead thermal design efforts in cross-disciplinary teams.
• Excellent English communication and documentation skills.

Responsibilities

• Lead design, development, and verification of spacecraft thermal control systems.
• Develop, maintain, and review detailed thermal models and analyses.
• Define thermal analyses across launch, cruise, lunar orbit, and surface ops.
• Plan and oversee TVAC testing, data analysis, and reporting.
• Collaborate with mechanical, electrical, and systems teams to integrate requirements.
• Prepare and review technical documentation, verification plans, and interfaces.
• Identify thermal risks and drive mitigation and trade studies.
• Contribute to design reviews and continuous improvement initiatives.

Skills

Thermal analysis

Thermal modeling

Spacecraft thermal

English communication

Education

Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Aerospace/Mechanical Engineering

Tools

Thermal Desktop

ESATAN

Job description

Join Our Mission to the Moon

Join ispace EUROPE – Pioneering Lunar Exploration from Luxembourg

With locations in Japan, Luxembourg, and the US, ispace is a global leader in lunar exploration. Our European branch, based in Luxembourg, is uniquely positioned at the heart of rover design, development, and operations.

We’re building the foundations of a sustainable lunar economy — and expanding humanity’s reach beyond Earth.

At ispace EU, engineers, business experts, and creatives work side by side to turn bold ideas into reality, driven by our mission: “Expand our Planet, Expand our Future.”

Senior Thermal Engineer

Luxembourg

ABOUT THE ROLE

As a Senior Thermal Engineer, you will play a pivotal role in ensuring our spacecraft systems can thrive in the harsh conditions of space. You will design, analyze, and verify thermal control solutions that keep critical hardware within safe operating limits during every mission phase. Based in Luxembourg, this role works closely with cross-disciplinary teams in mechanical, electrical, and systems engineering, directly contributing to ispace’s vision of enabling sustainable lunar exploration. Your expertise will help transform innovative rover designs into reliable spaceflight hardware that can survive and succeed on the Moon.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

• Lead the design, development, and verification of spacecraft thermal control systems, including radiators, heaters, MLI, coatings, and thermal straps.
• Develop, maintain, and review detailed thermal models using industry-standard tools (e.g., Thermal Desktop, ESATAN).
• Define and execute thermal analyses across mission phases—launch, cruise, lunar orbit, and surface operations—and correlate analytical models with test results.
• Plan and oversee component- and system-level thermal vacuum testing (TVAC), including test setup definition, data analysis, and reporting.
• Work closely with mechanical, electrical, and systems engineering teams to integrate thermal requirements and constraints into overall spacecraft design.
• Prepare and review high-quality technical documentation, including analysis reports, thermal verification plans, and interface control documentation.
• Identify thermal risks early in the lifecycle, propose mitigation strategies, and drive design trade studies to closure.
• Contribute to design reviews, technical decision-making, and continuous improvement initiatives across missions.

KEY REQUIREMENTS

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Aerospace Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Physics, or a related field.
• 5–8+ years of experience in spacecraft thermal design, analysis, and testing.
• Proven expertise with thermal analysis tools (Thermal Desktop preferred, ESATAN acceptable) and proficiency in 0D/1D thermal network modeling.
• Strong understanding of both active and passive thermal control systems for spacecraft and surface vehicles.
• Hands-on experience with space-relevant thermal testing, including TVAC and correlation activities.
• Demonstrated ability to lead thermal design efforts within multidisciplinary project teams.
• Excellent communication and documentation skills in English.
• Proactive, adaptable, and comfortable driving progress in a fast-paced, high-stakes engineering environment.

Why Join ispace EUROPE?

At ispace EU, we’re not just building lunar rovers — we’re shaping the future of space exploration from our base in Luxembourg. As part of a global team spanning Japan, the US, and Europe, we’re on a mission to create a sustainable lunar economy and expand humanity’s reach beyond Earth.

Join a diverse, fast-moving team where engineers, creatives, and business minds work side by side to turn bold ideas into reality. If you're ready to make history — and have fun doing it — we’d love to hear from you.

Let’s go to the Moon together.

Learn more about our recent activities here: https://ispace-inc.com/news-en.

We welcome candidates with diverse experience levels and evaluate the best fit on an individual basis. Your final job level and salary will be determined based on your skills, experience, and the impact you can bring to the role.

#LI-AD1