Senior Thermal Engineer - Spaceflight Instruments

CU Boulder; Boulder (CO); On-site; USD 160,000 - 209,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

ECO Pass

Tuition assistance

Medical/dental/retirement benefits

Job summary

CU Boulder’s LASP seeks a Thermal Engineer to lead the design and development of thermal control systems for spaceflight instruments and proposals. You will guide the full lifecycle from concept through integration and testing, collaborating with scientists and engineers to deliver high‑performance space instrumentation for NASA and other missions.

The role sits within a university-based space science lab, offering opportunities to mentor students, work with cross‑disciplinary teams, and

Qualifications

• BS or higher degree in Mechanical, Aerospace Engineering, or related field.
• 10+ years of aerospace thermal engineering experience.
• Experience with Thermal Desktop or other thermal analysis tools.
• Strong teamwork and communication skills.

Responsibilities

• Lead full-cycle thermal subsystem design from concept to operations.
• Collaborate with scientists and engineers on spaceflight hardware.
• Define thermal interface requirements with customers.
• Perform thermal analyses for passive/active systems and related components.
• Defend designs in reviews.
• Specify technical requirements for procured items.
• Support assembly, integration, and test activities.
• Plan and direct thermal vacuum tests and model correlation.
• Contribute to large proposals with thermal analyses and budgeting.
• Mentor junior engineers and students.

Skills

Thermal analysis

Teamwork

Verbal & written communication

Education

BS or higher in Mechanical or Aerospace Engineering

Tools

Thermal Desktop

SolidWorks

Job description

CU Boulder’s LASP seeks a Thermal Engineer to lead the design and development of thermal control systems for spaceflight instruments and proposals. You will guide the full lifecycle from concept through integration and testing, collaborating with scientists and engineers to deliver high‑performance space instrumentation for NASA and other missions.

The role sits within a university-based space science lab, offering opportunities to mentor students, work with cross‑disciplinary teams, and