Spacecraft Thermal Engineer — High-Power Systems

Socket.dev; San Carlos (CA); On-site; USD 150,000 - 200,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Equity in Cowboy Space Corp.

Medical, dental, vision insurance

401(k) retirement savings plan

Paid time off

10 paid holidays per year

Relocation assistance

Job summary

Cowboy Space Corp. in San Carlos, CA seeks a Thermal Engineer to design and validate thermal management for a space-based power and compute platform.

You will develop strategies for high-power laser systems, spacecraft electronics, and related components operating in extreme space environments. The ideal candidate has 3+ years in spacecraft thermal design, hands-on testing, and familiarity with vacuum chamber tests.

Qualifications

• 3+ years of experience in thermal analysis and design of spacecraft thermal systems.
• Strong understanding of thermodynamics and heat transfer fundamentals.
• Demonstrated experience of spaceflight hardware qualification and acceptance testing.
• Familiarity with vacuum chamber thermal testing.

Responsibilities

• Thermal System Design: develop spacecraft thermal management architectures with active and passive cooling for high-power components.
• Thermal Analysis & Modeling: use thermal simulation tools to predict system behavior in space.
• Thermal System Optimization: optimize designs for size, weight, and power.
• Thermal Testing & Validation: conduct thermal cycle and thermal-vacuum tests for flight-worthiness.
• Integration with Mechanical & Electrical Systems: collaborate with cross-discipline teams to ensure integration.
• Material Selection: identify space-grade thermal materials and insulation.
• Reliability & Safety: perform failure mode analysis and add redundancy.

Job description

Cowboy Space Corp. in San Carlos, CA seeks a Thermal Engineer to design and validate thermal management for a space-based power and compute platform.

You will develop strategies for high-power laser systems, spacecraft electronics, and related components operating in extreme space environments. The ideal candidate has 3+ years in spacecraft thermal design, hands-on testing, and familiarity with vacuum chamber tests.