Spaceflight Microfluidics & Thermal Systems Engineer

Space Tango LLC; Lexington (KY); On-site; USD 85,000 - 115,000; Full time

Job summary

Space Tango LLC is seeking an engineer to apply microfluidics expertise to spaceflight, designing, building, and testing hardware for automated research payloads in microgravity.

You will model fluid flow and heat transfer, develop CAD drawings in SolidWorks, and prototype flight-ready systems while collaborating with science, electrical, software, and manufacturing teams at our Lexington on-site facility.

Qualifications

• Experience modeling microfluidic or small-scale fluid systems.
• Ability to move between analysis, design, lab, and hands-on hardware.
• Understanding how pumps, valves, tubing, fittings, manifolds, and fluid properties affect performance.

Responsibilities

• Design microfluidic, fluid-handling, and thermal systems for automated research payloads
• Model fluid flow, pressure drop, heat transfer, and system performance using CFD or related simulation tools
• Design tubing layouts, manifolds, reservoirs, pumps, valves, fittings, heat exchangers, and thermal interfaces
• Develop parts, assemblies, and drawings using SolidWorks or similar CAD software
• Translate analytical results into practical designs and testable hardware
• Build, assemble, integrate, and troubleshoot prototypes and flight systems
• Plan and support flow, pressure, leak, thermal, vibration, and environmental testing
• Select materials and components based on reliability, cleanliness, compatibility, and manufacturability
• Collaborate with science, electrical, software, manufacturing, and test teams
• Document designs, calculations, test results, and engineering decisions

Skills

Microfluidics modeling

Hands-on hardware development

CFD simulation

Thermal-fluid analysis

Multidisciplinary collaboration

Prototype testing

Education

Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering

Biomedical Engineering

Aerospace Engineering

Chemical Engineering

Tools

SolidWorks

CFD software

Job description

Space Tango LLC is seeking an engineer to apply microfluidics expertise to spaceflight, designing, building, and testing hardware for automated research payloads in microgravity.

You will model fluid flow and heat transfer, develop CAD drawings in SolidWorks, and prototype flight-ready systems while collaborating with science, electrical, software, and manufacturing teams at our Lexington on-site facility.