Thermal Engineer

Strativ Group; Albuquerque (NM); On-site; USD 110,000 - 160,000; Full time

Job summary

Strativ Group is seeking a Thermal Engineer to lead the thermal design, analysis, and validation of mission-critical avionics hardware for stratospheric platforms. You will work closely with electrical, mechanical, systems, and flight operations teams to ensure reliability and safety across all flight phases.

The role requires 5+ years in aerospace thermal engineering, strong heat transfer knowledge, and hands-on modeling with Thermal Desktop, SINDA/FLUINT, ANSYS, and COMSOL.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or related field.
• 5+ years of experience in thermal engineering within aerospace, avionics, or high-reliability electronics.
• Strong mastery of heat transfer fundamentals and thermal modeling tools.
• Experience supporting environmental testing and correlating data with models.

Responsibilities

• Lead thermal design for avionics hardware, PCBs, enclosures, and assemblies.
• Develop and validate analytical and numerical thermal models for steady-state and transient conditions.
• Establish thermal requirements and safety margins for high-altitude environments.
• Optimize hardware layout for maximum heat dissipation and reliability.
• Plan and analyze TVAC, thermal cycling, and environmental tests; correlate results to models.
• Present findings at design reviews and support root-cause analysis.

Skills

Thermal engineering

Heat transfer

Cross-functional collaboration

Documentation

Education

Bachelor's degree in Mechanical or Aerospace Engineering

Tools

Thermal Desktop

SINDA/FLUINT

ANSYS

COMSOL

Job description

We are a high-growth aerospace technology pioneer building next-generation communications, imaging, and remote sensing infrastructure powered by stratospheric, lighter-than-air platforms. Operating at high altitudes, our platforms deliver ground-breaking functionality at a fraction of traditional infrastructure costs - enabling rapid telecommunications deployment, emergency disaster response, climate monitoring, and defense capabilities.

We are seeking visionary professionals to join our mission-driven team to develop breakthrough technologies that redefine global connectivity and Earth observation.

About the Position

We are seeking a Thermal Engineer to join our Avionics Hardware team. In this role, you will lead the thermal design, analysis, and validation of mission-critical avionics hardware operating in extreme stratospheric environments. You will work closely with cross-functional teams - including electrical, mechanical, systems, and flight operations - to guarantee hardware reliability, performance, and safety throughout all flight phases.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead thermal analysis and design for avionics hardware, including PCBs, enclosures, and integrated assemblies.
• Develop and validate analytical and numerical thermal models (conduction, convection, radiation) for steady-state and transient conditions.
• Establish thermal requirements and safety margins for systems operating in high-altitude, low-pressure, and extreme-temperature environments.
• Optimize hardware layout, enclosure design, and component placement for maximum heat dissipation.
• Select and evaluate thermal management solutions (e.g., heat sinks, TIMs, coatings, passive/active cooling).
• Plan, execute, and analyze thermal testing (thermal vacuum/TVAC, thermal cycling, environmental testing) and correlate test data back to models.
• Present technical findings at formal design reviews (PDR, CDR) and contribute to root-cause failure analysis.

Required Qualifications

• Education: Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or a related field.
• Experience: 5+ years of experience in thermal engineering within aerospace, avionics, or high-reliability electronics.
• Technical Skills: Strong mastery of heat transfer fundamentals; hands-on experience with thermal modeling software (e.g., Thermal Desktop, SINDA/FLUINT, ANSYS, COMSOL).
• Testing: Demonstrated ability to support environmental testing and correlate empirical data with analytical models.
• Soft Skills: Excellent documentation, presentation, and cross-functional communication skills.