Lead Thermal Engineer - Spacecraft & Payloads

L3Harris Technologies, Inc.; Florida; On-site; USD 140,000 - 190,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Relocation assistance available

Job summary

L3Harris Technologies is seeking a Lead Thermal Engineer (Space Vehicle and Payloads) to lead spacecraft‑level thermal design, modeling, and analysis across multiple orbital environments. You will architect thermal solutions and mentor engineers in a collaborative, mission-focused team.

Responsibilities include developing detailed thermal models, validating hardware like radiators and heat pipes, owning thermal budgets, and guiding TVAC testing.

Qualifications

• Bachelor of Science in Engineering with 9+ years of relevant experience; or graduate degree with 7+ years; or 13+ years of experience in lieu of a degree.
• 5+ years professional experience using Thermal Desktop
• Experience in thermal design and analysis for space environments/products
• 2+ years as IPTL or leading an engineering team

Responsibilities

• Lead spacecraft-level thermal design architecture and requirements for high-reliability space vehicles.
• Develop detailed thermal models and analyses for all mission phases and environments.
• Lead creation and validation of thermal control hardware (radiators, coatings, heat pipes, insulation, heaters, interfaces).
• Own thermal budgets and flow-down of requirements to payloads and subsystems.
• Evaluate thermal impacts of system trades, power profiles, timelines.
• Develop thermal math-physics models using Thermal Desktop, Flowtherm, SINDA/FLUINT, ESATAN-TMS or equivalents.
• Provide leadership during hardware build, TVAC planning/execution, and correlate test results to analysis.
• Guide environmental considerations for radiation, conduction, convection-free behavior, material properties, mission life.
• Cross-functional collaboration with systems, mechanical, power, RF, etc.
• Mentor junior engineers and drive process improvements.
• Prepare high-quality documentation including requirements, analyses, review packs, test plans, verification matrices.
• Ability to obtain a US security clearance

Skills

Thermal Desktop

Technical leadership

Thermal modeling

TVAC planning/experimentation

Education

B.S. in Engineering

M.S. in Engineering

13+ years experience in lieu of degree

Tools

SINDA/FLUENT

ESATAN-TMS

FLOWTHERM

Job description

L3Harris Technologies is seeking a Lead Thermal Engineer (Space Vehicle and Payloads) to lead spacecraft‑level thermal design, modeling, and analysis across multiple orbital environments. You will architect thermal solutions and mentor engineers in a collaborative, mission-focused team.

Responsibilities include developing detailed thermal models, validating hardware like radiators and heat pipes, owning thermal budgets, and guiding TVAC testing.