Senior Thermal Engineer

Space Kinetic; El Segundo (CA); On-site; USD 102,000 - 130,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive Base Salary + Equity-Based

PTO & Holidays

Medical, Dental, Vision Coverage

Job summary

Space Kinetic is hiring a Senior Thermal Engineer in El Segundo, CA, to drive thermal analysis, hardware design, acquisition and test for space systems. You’ll work on passive and active thermal control to ensure components stay within safe temperatures in space.

The role requires designing and acquiring MLI blankets, heaters, radiators and related hardware, plus tight collaboration with Structures, Electrical, GNC and System Engineering teams to validate performance through TVAC and thermal

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in aerospace/mechanical engineering with 4+ years space experience.
• Thermal design of satellite components from high-level analysis to ground/orbital validation.
• Develop and run tests to validate hardware performance in extreme conditions.

Responsibilities

• Thermal hardware design, analysis and test (MLI blankets, heaters, venting, heat pipes, sensors).
• Develop passive and active thermal control hardware (radiators, heaters, heat pipes).
• Create technical docs: drawings, analysis reports, test plans, procedures, reports and reviews.

Skills

Space thermal design

Lab tools

Thermal analysis software

CAD software

MATLAB/Python

Orbital thermal environments

Security clearance

Export regulations

Education

Bachelor's degree in Aerospace/Mechanical Engineering

Advanced degree preferred

Tools

ANSYS Thermal Desktop/Sinda/Fluint/RadCad

Siemens Space Systems Thermal

Solidworks/CREO/AutoCAD

Job description

Space Kinetic is a dual use space technology startup building a completely new architecture for space operations – one that brings the advantages of proliferated drone technology (low-cost, operationally flexible, attainable, distributed) to space missions while reducing the ecosystem's reliance on consumable fuel. In a world where many companies are focused on incrementally improving the status quo, we are focused on creating something entirely different – an architecture underpinned by new first principles to meet the opportunities and challenges of the third space age head-on. Our goal is to move away from one-to-one space architectures – where each satellite in a constellation has one (or a small # of) primary payloads attached to the bus -- and unlock a ‘one-to-many’ system, where each satellite has a large number of payloads which can be deployed from their host spacecraft at high velocities without firing a thruster.

This is not a role for someone looking for a traditional 40-hour work week. Space Kinetic is building ambitious, first-of-its-kind technology, and that requires urgency, ownership, and a high level of commitment to changing the foundational assumptions for everything we do in space.

What You’ll Do:

Space Kinetic is looking for a Senior Thermal Engineer to assist with thermal analysis, hardware design , hardware acquisition , and test within the simulation group of the Mechanical Engineering department. The candidate will ensure that comp o nents will operate within safe temperature ranges despite the extreme thermal environment of space . The candidate will work on passive and active thermal control systems.

• Thermal hardware design,analysisand test (MLI blankets, heaters, venting, heat pipes, sensors,etc…)
• Work with mechanical teams to develop passive and active thermal control hardware for thesystemincluding radiators, heaters, heat pipes, surfacecoatingsetc..
• Technical document creation, including drawings, analysis reports,test plans,test procedures, test reports, and presentations for reviews,anddocumentmanagement
• Design, plan, execute and documentTVAC and Thermal Cycling tests
• Developmental testing of thermal interfacesand material characterization
• Materialsdatabase creation and maintenance
• Work closely with Structures,Electrical, GNC, Propulsion, and System Engineering functional teams
• Map temperatures on structural finite element models
• Interfacewith Manufacturing and Production tomonitorcomponentfabrication progress
• Interfacewith integration and test group tomonitorcomponentintegrationand testing
• Compilation of comprehensive parts lists using information from Bills of Materials (BOMs), engineering drawings, online databases, and data from subcontractors and suppliers
• Design validation and verification (V&V) through analysis and test
• Ability to work with minimal direction or support and to learn quickly; strong analytical skills; creative and innovative thinking; detail-oriented; calm under pressure; commitment to follow-through; enthusiastic with a talent for motivating others; receptive to criticism and open to others' ideas; and effective in written communication

What It Takes:

• Bachelor's Degree in Aerospace Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or a related field with a minimum of 4+ years of related space experience. Advanced Degrees (Master’s or Ph.D.) in similar disciplines.
• Thermal design of satellite components, frominitialhigh-level analysis down to validation of performance with ground tests and orbital data
• Devise, build and run tests tovalidatethe performance of the hardware in extreme conditions
• Operate and use lab tools and equipment.
• Experience using space thermal analysis softwaresimilar toANSYS Thermal Desktop Sinda/Fluint/RadCad, Siemens Space Systems Thermal or similar
• Basic understanding orbital thermal environments
• Experience designingandacquiringMLI blankets or similar spacecraft hardware
• Experience in spacecraft integration and testing
• Experience in CAD software (Solidworks, CREO, AutoCAD)
• MATLAB/Python basic knowledge
• Correlating thermal modelswith test data
• Ability to obtain and maintain a Government Security Clearance.
• To conform to U.S. Government export regulations, applicant must be a (i) U.S. citizen or national, (ii) U.S. lawful, permanent resident (aka green card holder).

What We’d Love:

• Prior experience with spacecraft design
• Experience working on a launch vehicle or satellite development effort
• Experience in a startup or agile development environment
• Passion for the commercial and government space industry.

Where You’ll Be:

• The position will be on site at our headquarters in El Segundo, CA.

What We Offer:

• Competitive Base Salary + Equity-Based Compensation
• Highly Competitive PTO and Holiday Calendar
• Comprehensive Medical, Dental, and Vision Coverage

ITAR Requirements:

This position is subject to U.S. Government space technology export regulations, including the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR). To conform to U.S. Government export regulations, applicant must be a (i) U.S. citizen or national, (ii) U.S. lawful, permanent resident (aka green card holder), (iii) Refugee under 8 U.S.C. § 1157, or (iv) Asylee under 8 U.S.C. § 1158, or be eligible to obtain the required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State. Learn more about ITAR here

Equal Employment Opportunity:

Space Kinetic provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, national origin, veteran status, disability or any other legally protected status.

The annual base salary for this role is below. Pay Grades are determined by role, level, location, and alignment with market data. Individual pay will be determined on a case-by-case basis and may vary based on the following considerations: interviews and an assessment of several factors that are unique to each candidate, job-related skills, relevant education/experience, certifications, abilities of the candidate and internal equity.

Pay Range

$102,000 - $130,000 USD