Thermal Engineer

NewOrbit Space; Reading; Hybrid; GBP 65,000 - 90,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid working (1 remote day per week)

Equity and competitive salary

Private health insurance with dental/眼

Job summary

NewOrbit Space in Reading seeks a skilled Thermal Engineer to own the spacecraft thermal management from concept to validation. You’ll run steady-state and transient analyses, design thermal control systems, and work with mechanical, propulsion, electronics, and mission planning teams to ensure reliable performance from launch through deorbit.

This hands-on role covers TVAC testing, hardware validation, and development of insulation, radiators, heaters, coatings, and sensors.

Qualifications

• Solid understanding of thermal engineering principles in spacecraft systems.
• Hands-on experience with thermal simulation tools such as Systema, Thermal Desktop, ESATAN, or equivalent.
• Experience with environmental and lab testing (TVAC, thermal cycling, AIT process validation).
• Comfortable working in a fast-paced, iterative development environment.

Responsibilities

• Perform steady-state and transient thermal analysis of the spacecraft across all mission phases (TVAC testing, launch, orbit).
• Model and validate heat management strategies in vacuum, where conduction and radiation are dominant.
• Identify and manage worst-case scenarios in extreme thermal conditions (hot and cold), accounting for on-orbit environmental factors and internal power dissipation.
• Design and implement thermal control solutions such as multilayer insulation (MLI), radiators, heaters, thermo-optical coatings, thermistors, and thermal straps.
• Develop and support thermal vacuum (TVAC) test procedures, instrumentation setup, and post-test data analysis.
• Be hands on in hardware testing for validation of processes, instrumentation, and materials and components chosen for in house developments

Skills

Thermal engineering

Spacecraft thermal

Thermal analysis

Tools

Systema

Thermal Desktop

ESATAN

Job description

Company

NewOrbit builds satellites that fly in very low Earth orbit, below 300 km, along with the electric propulsion that keeps them there.

Flying closer to Earth means sharper imagery from smaller optics, and an orbit that cleans itself: our satellites de-orbit within a month at end of life, leaving no debris.

Our AURA family of RF gridded ion thrusters powers our own NEO-1 satellite, with first flight planned for Q3 2028, and is also offered to other operators.

Electric propulsion is what lets our satellites hold very low orbits, and our AURA RF gridded ion thruster is at the centre of it.

Role

We are looking for a skilled Thermal Engineer with experience in spacecraft thermal management at both the subsystem and spacecraft level.

You’ll work closely with a cross-functional team - including mechanical, propulsion, electronics, and mission planning - to ensure reliable thermal performance of our satellite throughout all mission phases: from launch to operation in orbit and end-of-life.

You should be capable of delivering a thermal control system from scratch and taking full ownership of it, ensuring the success of our mission.

Key Responsibilities

• Perform steady-state and transient thermal analysis of the spacecraft across all mission phases (TVAC testing, launch, orbit).

• Model and validate heat management strategies in the harsh environment of vacuum, where conduction and radiation are dominant

• Identify and manage worst-case scenarios in extreme thermal conditions (both hot and cold), accounting for on-orbit environmental factors and internal power dissipation

• Design and implement thermal control solutions such as multilayer insulation (MLI), radiators, heaters, thermo-optical coatings, thermistors, and thermal straps

• Develop and support thermal vacuum (TVAC) test procedures, instrumentation setup, and post-test data analysis.

• Be hands on in hardware testing for validation of processes, instrumentation, and materials and components chosen for in house developments

Fundamental Requirements

• Solid understanding of thermal engineering principles in the context of spacecraft systems.

• Hands-on experience with thermal simulation tools such as Systema, Thermal Desktop, ESATAN, or equivalent.

• Experience with environmental and lab testing (TVAC, thermal cycling, AIT process
  validation).

• Comfortable working in a fast-paced, iterative development environment.

Nice-to-Haves

• Experience designing or testing spacecraft thermal systems.

• Exposure to multidisciplinary space system development or mission analysis.

Why NewOrbit Space?

• Pioneering space technology - Your work on our RF gridded ion thrusters and VLEO satellite platform will redefine satellite operations and challenge traditional LEO.

• Ownership and impact - You'll have a level of ownership that's rare in the space industry, and you'll take part in the full lifecycle of satellite technology.

• Equity and competitive salary - Alongside a competitive salary you receive a company ownership stake, so you share in the technology you help build and in our collective success.

• Comprehensive benefits - Private health insurance with dental and optical cover, and annual health check-ups.

• Hybrid working - One dedicated remote day per week.

• Visa sponsorship and relocation support - We sponsor visas and provide relocation support for candidates moving to join us.