Senior Thermal Control System (TCS) Design Engineer

K2 Space; Los Angeles (CA); On-site; USD 140,000 - 175,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Equity in the company

Comprehensive benefits package

Job summary

K2 Space, located in Los Angeles, is seeking a Senior Thermal Control System (TCS) Design Engineer to lead the development of innovative thermal control systems for high-performance satellites. You will develop active and passive systems while collaborating with lead engineers and ensuring manufacturability from prototype to production.

The ideal candidate has over 5 years of thermal test experience in manufacturing, is skilled in fluid systems design, and is proficient with data acquisition technologies. Joining K2 offers the chance to contribute to groundbreaking aerospace missions with comprehensive benefits and competitive compensation.

Qualifications

• 5+ years of experience with thermal test experience in a high-rate manufacturing environment.
• Strong experience with thermal and TVAC testing, including instrumentation.
• Demonstrated knowledge of data acquisition for thermal applications.

Responsibilities

• Design active and passive thermal control systems.
• Plan and develop thermal-cycle and thermal-vacuum testing campaigns.
• Create formal documentation for development and production.

Skills

Thermal test experience

Sizing fluid systems

Data acquisition

Thermal and TVAC testing

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 $450M from leading investors and $500M in signed contracts, 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 planned through 2026 and 2027, we’re Building Bigger to develop the solar system and become a Kardashev Type II 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 groundbreaking Series C space startup, we’d love for you to apply.

The Role

You will own the success of developing, implementing, and testing both R&D and production thermal control systems on the spacecraft. You will be responsible for spearheading the design and verification efforts of active and passive thermal control systems, including, but not limited to, pump‑fluid loops, heat pipes, and all of the required ground‑supporting equipment (test fixtures, diagnostic equipment, instrumentation, software tools, etc.). Your work will require familiarity with pressurized systems (valves, pumps, accumulators, heat exchangers), thermo‑mechanical instrumentation (temperature sensors, pressure sensors, flow meters, etc.), integrated electronics systems, and secondary satellite structures. You will partner with design engineers early in the process to ensure manufacturability while building the first prototype, design the build flow, and finalize the process for transition to production.

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 novel pump‑fluid loops, including feed systems, power electronics, and hardware‑in‑the‑loop.
• Develop testing and control scripts to conduct safe and reliable test campaigns of pump‑fluid loop and individual components.
• Create formal documentation for development and production: test procedures, test reports, and standard operating procedures.
• Troubleshoot electrical and mechanical test setups and hardware.
• Document, compile, analyze, and present test data.

Qualifications

• 5+ years of experience with thermal test experience in a high‑rate manufacturing environment.
• 2+ years of experience with sizing and testing fluid systems including pumps, valves, accumulators, heat exchangers, cold plates, etc.
• Demonstrated experience with data acquisition for thermal and power related applications.
• Experience with test plan development and execution.
• Strong experience with thermal and TVAC testing including set‑up, instrumentation, and troubleshooting.
• Demonstrated knowledge of NX or AutoCAD is preferred for designing test fixtures.

Nice to Have

• Experience with basic and statistical data analysis.
• Experience with Thermal Desktop for thermal analysis.
• Experience with signal conditioning to define optimal acquisition rate and understand when the signal‑to‑noise ratio is not acceptable.
• Experience with pump testing.
• Experience with avionics testing.
• Experience with testing refrigeration systems.

Compensation and Benefits

• Base salary range for this role is $140,000 – $175,000 + equity in the company.
• Salary will be based on several factors including, but not limited to, 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 other perks.

If you don’t meet 100% of the preferred skills and experience, we encourage you to still apply. Building a spacecraft unlike any other requires a team unlike any other, and non‑traditional career twists and turns are encouraged. If you need a reasonable accommodation as part of your application for employment or interviews with us, please let us know.

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). The person hired for this role will have access to information and items controlled by U.S. export control regulations. The person hired 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.

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.