Thermal Analysis Engineer

Intuitive Machines; Palo Alto (CA); On-site; USD 94,000 - 156,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Paid time off

Health insurance

401(k)

Job summary

Lanteris Space Systems in Palo Alto, CA seeks a Thermal Analyst to join the Thermal Engineering team to develop spacecraft thermal solutions across the life cycle, with emphasis on Thermal Desktop modeling and collaboration with propulsion, power, avionics, and other subsystems.

The role involves building and refining models, correlating with ground tests and on-orbit data, and supporting rapid responses for proposals.

Qualifications

• U.S. citizen or permanent resident
• BS in mechanical/aerospace engineering or related discipline (4 years experience may substitute)
• 2 years of relevant experience (master's may count for 2 years)
• Ability to accommodate day/swing/grave shifts during TVAC testing campaigns

Responsibilities

• Develop and refine finite difference/element thermal models using Thermal Desktop
• Correlate thermal models with ground test and on-orbit data
• Prepare detailed technical reports and present findings to teams
• Support spacecraft level and assembly level thermal vacuum testing
• Define requirements for flight and ground test thermal hardware
• Perform back-of-the-envelope calculations to sanity-check models
• Assist in design trades assessing cost, manufacturability and reliability

Skills

Thermal analysis

Verbal communication

Written communication

Education

BS in mechanical/aerospace engineering

Tools

Thermal Desktop

Creo

Job description

Please review the job details below.

Lanteris Space Systems is currently seeking a Thermal Analyst to join our Thermal Engineering team in Palo Alto, CA. In this role, you will work closely with our Thermal Engineering team to develop spacecraft thermal solutions for all phases of the spacecraft life cycle: proposal, design, assembly, ground testing including thermal vacuum testing, launch, and on-orbit operations. Your focus will be on thermal analysis of spacecraft using Thermal Desktop, with collaboration with other spacecraft subsystems and disciplines including propulsion, power, avionics, attitude control, structural/mechanical, RF communications, and orbital dynamics.

The application window is three days from the date the job is posted and will remain posted until a qualified candidate has been identified for hire.

The date of posting can be found on the Lanteris Space Systems Career page at the top of each job posting.

In support of pay transparency at Lanteris Space Systems, we disclose salary ranges on all U.S. job postings. The successful candidate’s starting pay will fall within the salary range provided below and is determined based on job-related factors, including, but not limited to, the experience, qualifications, knowledge, skills, geographic work location, and market conditions. Candidates with the minimum necessary experience, qualifications, knowledge, and skillsets for the position should not expect to receive the upper end of the pay range.

The base pay for this position within California is: $94,000.00 - $156,000.00 annually.

For all other states, we use geographic cost of labor as an input to develop market-driven ranges for our roles, and as such, each location where we hire may have a different range.

We offer a comprehensive package of benefits including paid time off, health and welfare insurance, and 401(k) to eligible employees. More information on our benefits will be shared with candidates as they move forward in the recruitment process.

Responsibilities

• Develop and refine finite difference/element thermal models of entire spacecraft and lower-level assemblies/components using Thermal Desktop software
• Correlate thermal models with ground test and on-orbit data
• Prepare detailed technical reports of work performed and present to small groups of co-workers
• Support and conduct spacecraft level and assembly level thermal vacuum testing
• Define requirements for flight and ground test thermal hardware such as heaters, temperature sensors, heat pipes, and multilayer insulation
• Leverage radiative and conductive heat transfer fundamentals to perform back-of-the-envelope calculations to complement and sanity-check complex thermal models
• Gather inputs for and perform design trades which assess cost, manufacturability, schedule, and reliability impacts of different technical solutions
• Assist Lead Thermal Engineers in defining and interpreting requirements
• Manage ambiguity by understanding and accounting for analysis uncertainty including but not limited to parameter sensitivity studies
• Participate in thermal R&D projects at the forefront of space-based thermal technology
• Support quick turnaround work for proposals in the nascent phase of design
• Contribute to continuous improvement (CI) projects
• Ensure all inputs are understood and clearly communicate requirements and analysis outputs

Minimum Requirements

• Must be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident
• BS in mechanical/aerospace engineering or related discipline. Four additional years of experience may be substituted for a degree.
• 2 years of relevant experience. A master's degree may account for two years of experience
• Ability to accommodate day, swing and/or grave shifts as well as weekend/holiday shifts during TVAC testing campaigns (generally 2-3 times per year with durations of ~30 days each)

Preferred Qualifications

• Thermal Desktop experience
• College coursework in heat transfer, especially radiative heat transfer, and numerical methods
• Familiarity with spacecraft thermal design
• Creo experience
• Effective verbal and written communication, organization, project/time management, attention to detail, and leadership skills
• Interest in thermal engineering and/or space systems

Lanteris Space Systems values diversity in the workplace and is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, race, color, religion, national origin, disability, protected veteran status, age, or any other characteristic protected by law.