Senior Thermal Control System (TCS) Design Engineer

K2 Space; Los Angeles (CA); On-site; USD 140,000 - 250,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Equity

Medical/dental/vision

Paid time off

Job summary

K2 Space seeks a Senior Thermal Control System Design Engineer to own the development, implementation, and testing of thermal control systems for spacecraft. You will lead design and verification of active and passive thermal control, including pump loops, heat pipes, valves, and ground support equipment.

You will coordinate with test campaigns, instrumentation, and data analysis, ensuring robust test procedures and documentation for production and qualification.

Qualifications

• 5+ years of thermal test experience in a high-rate manufacturing environment.
• 2+ years sizing and testing fluid systems (pumps, valves, accumulators, heat exchangers, cold plates).
• Experience with data acquisition for thermal and power applications.
• Experience with test plan development and execution.
• Strong experience with thermal and TVAC testing, setup, instrumentation, and troubleshooting.
• Demonstrated knowledge of NX or AutoCAD is preferred to design test fixtures.

Responsibilities

• Work with lead engineers to design active and passive thermal control systems using basic heat transfer and mechanical equations to size lines, pumps, accumulators, cold plates, etc.
• Plan and develop thermal cycle and thermal-vacuum testing campaigns.
• Design and develop heater and cooling systems including control architecture.
• Set up, commission, and maintain state-of-the-art test stands and instrumentation.
• Develop data acquisition systems for active and passive thermal control systems.
• Perform tests on pump fluid loops including feeds, power electronics, and hardware-in-the-loop.
• Develop testing and control scripts for safe and reliable test campaigns.
• Create formal documentation for development and production: test procedures, test reports, and SOPs.
• Troubleshoot electrical and mechanical test setups and hardware.
• Document, compile, analyze, and present test data.

Skills

Thermal testing

Fluid systems sizing

Data acquisition

Test plan development

Thermal/TVAC testing

NX/AutoCAD knowledge

Tools

NX

AutoCAD

Job description

Senior Thermal Control System (TCS) Design Engineer

K2 is building the largest and highest-power satellites ever flown, unlocking performance levels previously out of reach across every orbit. Backed by over $1 billion in total funding from leading investors including Altimeter Capital, ICONIQ, Kleiner Perkins, Lightspeed Venture Partners, Redpoint Ventures, and T. Rowe Price — and with over $1 billion in signed contracts across commercial and US government customers, we're mass-producing the highest-power satellite platforms ever built for missions from LEO to deep space.

The rise of heavy-lift launch vehicles is shifting the industry from an era of mass constraint to one of mass abundance, and we believe this new era demands a fundamentally different class of spacecraft. Engineered to survive the harshest radiation environments and to fully capitalize on today's and tomorrow's massive rockets, K2 satellites deliver unmatched capability at constellation scale and across multiple orbits.

With multiple launches in 2027 and plans to scale to 100 satellites a year, we're Building Bigger — helping develop the solar system and build toward a Kardashev Type II (K2) civilization. If you are a motivated individual who thrives in a fast-paced environment and you're excited about contributing to the success of a high-growth Series D-funded company, we'd love for you to apply.

The Role

You will own the success of developing,implementingand testingbothR&D and productionthermal control systemson the spacecraft.You willbe responsible forspearheading the design andverificationefforts of activeand passivethermal control systemsincluding,but notlimited to,pumpfluidloops,heat pipesandall oftherequiredground supporting equipment (test fixtures,diagnostic equipment,instrumentation, software tools etc.).Y our work will require familiarity with pressurized systems (valves, pumps, accumulators, heat exchangers), thermo-mechanicalinstrumentation(temperaturesensors,pressure sensors, flow metersetc.),integratedelectronics systems,and secondary satellite structures.

Responsibilities

• Work withlead engineerstodesign active and passive thermal control systems using basic heat transferand mechanical equations tosize lines, pumps, accumulators, cold platesetc.
• Planningand development of thermal cycle and thermal-vacuum testing campaigns
• Design and develop ment of heaterand coolingsystems including controlarchitecture
• Setup, commission, andmaintainstate-of-the-arttest standsand instrumentation
• Developdata acquisition systems for active and passive thermal control systems
• Perform tests on novelpump fluid l oopincludingfeedsystems, power electronics, and hardware-in-the-loop
• Develop testing and control scripts to conduct safe and reliable test campaigns ofpump fluid loopandindividualcomponents
• Create formal documentation for development and production: test procedures, testreports,andstandard operating procedures
• Troubleshoot electrical and mechanical test setups and hardware
• Document, compile, analyze, and present test data

Qualifications

• 5+ years ofexperience with thermal test experience in ahigh-ratemanufacturingenvironment
• 2+ years of experience with sizing and testing fluid systems including pumps, valves, accumulators, heat exchanger, cold plates etc.
• Demonstratedexperiencewith data acquisition for thermal and power related applications
• Experiencewith test plandevelopmentand execution
• Strong experiencewith thermal and TVAC testing including setup,instrumentation,and troubleshooting
• Demonstrated knowledge of NX or AutoCAD is preferred to design test fixtures

Nice to Have

• Experie nce with basic and statistical data analysis
• Experience with Thermal Desktopfor thermal analysis
• Experience with signal conditioning to defineoptimalacquisition rate and understand when sign al-to-noise ratio is not acceptable
• Experience withpumps testing
• Experience with avionics testing
• Experience with testingrefrigerationsystems

Compensation and Benefits:

• Base salary range for this role is $140,000 - $250 ,000 + equity in the company
• Salary will be based on several factors including, but not limitedto:knowledge and skills, education, and experience level
• Comprehensive benefits package including paid time off, medical/dental/vision/ coverage, life insurance, paid parental leave, and many otherperks

If you need a reasonable accommodation as part of your application for employment or interviews with us, please let us know.

K2 Space is an Equal Opportunity Employer; employment with K2 Space is governed on the basis of merit, competence and qualifications and will not be influenced in any manner by race, color, religion, gender, national origin/ethnicity, veteran status, disability status, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, mental or physical disability or any other legally protected status.

Export Compliance

As defined in the ITAR, "U.S. Persons" include U.S. citizens, lawful permanent residents (i.e., Green Card holders), and certain protected individuals (e.g., refugees/asylees, American Samoans). Please consult with a knowledgeable advisor if you are unsure whether you are a "U.S. Person."

The person hired for this role will have access to information and items controlled by U.S. export control regulations, including the export control regulations outlined in the International Traffic in Arms Regulation (ITAR). The person hired for this role must therefore either be a "U.S. person" as defined by 22 C.F.R. § 120.15 or otherwise eligible for a federally issued export control license.