LEAD ENGINEER - PRINCIPAL ENGINEER - Avionics Thermal Design Engineer

Southwest Research Institute; San Antonio (TX); On-site; USD 140,000 - 190,000; Full time

Job summary

Southwest Research Institute in San Antonio is seeking a Lead Engineer - Principal Engineer in Avionics Thermal Design to lead thermal architecture for advanced avionics and ensure performance across worst-case environments.

You will own CFD/FEA analyses, derating, margins, verification testing, and work with EE/ME teams to deliver flight-worthy thermal solutions while mentoring engineers and advancing technical standards.

Qualifications

• Requires a Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering or related field with related experience.
• 11+ years of expert thermal engineering for avionics, including heat transfer and margins.
• 11+ years of CFD/FEA analysis, model correlation, and design decision guidance.
• 11+ years of translating requirements into actionable design constraints and leading trades.
• 11+ years of systems integration across EE/ME/SE with customer communication.
• Valid driver's license.

Responsibilities

• Lead thermal architecture for avionics and ensure performance in worst-case environments.
• Deliver flight-worthy thermal designs using conduction, convection, and cooling.
• Own CFD/FEA analyses, derating, margins, and qualification activities.
• Drive DMSMS-aware modernization and mentor engineers on standards.
• Plan and execute thermal verification and support lab bring-up.

Skills

Thermal engineering

CFD/FEA

Systems integration

Mentoring teams

Technical leadership

Education

Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering

Tools

Flotherm

Icepak

ANSYS

Job description

LEAD ENGINEER - PRINCIPAL ENGINEER - Avionics Thermal Design Engineer

16-01534

Who We Are:

The Strategic Aerospace Department within the Defense & Intelligence Solutions Division delivers cutting-edge engineering services to enhance the warfighter’s capabilities across bomber, tanker, and heavy aircraft platforms. We specialize in world-class research, design, and support, providing innovative solutions to modern challenges and legacy systems for the U.S. Air Force Global Strike Command, Department of Defense, allied nations, and the U.S. Government, ensuring mission readiness and technological superiority.

Objectives of this Role:

• Lead thermal architecture for advanced avionics, ensuring electronics meet performance and reliability targets across worst-case mission environments (hot ramp, cold soak, high altitude).
• Deliver flight-worthy, integratable thermal designs (conduction, convection, liquid/air cooling) that reduce risk, rework, and schedule impacts during integration and test.
• Own end-to-end analysis and validation (CFD/FEA, derating, margins, qualification) to prove compliance with customer/airworthiness requirements and program commitments.
• Drive DMSMS-aware modernization by selecting COTS/MIL-spec components and thermal solutions that improve sustainment, maintainability, and lifecycle cost.
• Mentor teams and set technical standards for thermal design reviews, test readiness, and production transition, accelerating delivery of high-confidence avionics solutions.

Daily and Monthly Responsibilities:

• Lead thermal trade studies for avionics (air/liquid cooling, conduction paths, materials), set margins, and resolve heat/airflow issues with electrical, mechanical, and systems teams.
• Build/update CFD/FEA models, power maps, and derating analyses; document assumptions, sensitivities, and results to support rapid design decisions and integration readiness.
• Support lab bring-up and troubleshooting—instrumentation, data review, root-cause of hot spots, and corrective actions for hardware and packaging changes.
• Plan/execute thermal verification (TVAC/temperature rise, airflow tests), define test procedures, analyze results, and produce compliance evidence for reviews and airworthiness artifacts.
• Drive design reviews and configuration control—approve drawings/BOM impacts, coordinate suppliers, and mentor engineers on thermal standards, best practices, and lessons learned.

Requirements:

• Requires a Bachelors degree in Mechanical Engineering, Thermal Engineering, Mechatronics Engineering or related engineering degree with directly related experience.
• 11+ years: Expert thermal engineering for avionics: heat transfer, thermal networks, component derating, and margining across flight and ground extremes; strong fundamentals plus practical packaging insight.
• 11+ years: Advanced analysis skills: CFD/FEA (e.g., Flotherm/Icepak/ANSYS), model correlation, uncertainty/sensitivity studies, and turning results into clear design decisions and requirements.
• 11+ years: Requirements-to-results driver: translate customer thermal/performance requirements into actionable design constraints, lead trades to meet SwRI design standards, and deliver verified thermal margin with clear compliance evidence.
• 11+ years: Systems integration skills: partner across EE/ME/SE, manage interfaces and configuration, drive technical reviews, mentor engineers, and communicate effectively with customers and program leadership.
• A valid/clear driver's license is required.

Special Requirements:

Applicant selected will be subject to a government security investigation and must meet eligibility requirements for access to classified information. Applicant must be a U.S. citizen.

For benefits information at our San Antonio location, click here .
For benefits information at all other locations, click here .

An Equal Employment Opportunity Employer: race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability, and veteran status.