Job Title

ASSOCIATE THERMAL ENGINEER

Location

Huntsville, AL 35806 US (Primary)

Category

Engineering

Job Type

Full-Time

Career Level

Experienced (Non-Manager)

Education

Bachelor's Degree

Security Clearance Required

Secret

Job Description

Ignite is currently seeking a driven, detail-oriented Associate Thermal engineer to join our team supporting the NGI Program in Huntsville, AL. As a member of the thermal engineering team, you will support high-fidelity thermal analyses across missile components, subsystems, and fully integrated systems - including ground support equipment - throughout the entire lifecycle.

Job Requirements

Responsibilities include, but are not limited to:
• Perform rigid body and multi-body kinematics and dynamics analyses supporting the design, development, integration, and verification of Next Generation Interceptor (NGI) systems and subsystems.
• Develop, maintain, and execute high-fidelity multi-body dynamics models using MSC ADAMS or equivalent simulation tools to evaluate system performance throughout the mission lifecycle.
• Analyze vehicle, stage, payload, and deployment dynamics to assess loads, clearances, separation events, deployment mechanisms, and overall system behavior.
• Support trade studies, design reviews, and technical assessments by providing quantitative analysis of flight dynamics performance and associated risks.
• Correlate analytical models with component-, subsystem-, and system-level test data to improve model accuracy and support verification and validation activities.
• Collaborate closely with guidance, navigation and control (GNC), structures, mechanisms, aerodynamics, systems engineering, and test organizations to ensure integrated system performance.
• Develop custom analysis tools, automation scripts, and post-processing routines using MATLAB, Python, or equivalent programming languages to improve efficiency and analytical capability.
• Support anomaly investigations, root-cause analyses, and corrective action development related to kinematics and dynamics performance.
• Prepare and present technical reports, briefings, and analysis results to internal leadership, customers, and program stakeholders.
• Participate in technical interchange meetings, peer reviews, and design reviews to ensure compliance with program requirements and engineering best practices.
• Ensure analyses are performed in accordance with established processes, quality standards, and program requirements while maintaining configuration control of analytical models and data products.
• Support proposal development, technology maturation efforts, and future flight sciences initiatives as required.

Job Requirements and Qualifications:
• Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or related discipline
• 2+ years of experience in thermal/thermofluids analysis (thermophysics, heat transfer, fluid mechanics, aerodynamics, etc.)
• Experience using industry-standard thermal analysis tools such as NX/Simcenter, Thermal Desktop, SINDA, ANSYS
• Strong mathematical, analytical, and problem-solving skills grounded in mechanical engineering fundamentals
• Ability to obtain and maintain a Secret security clearance, thus US Citizenship is required

Security Clearance Requirements:

ACTIVE SECRET

Education Requirements:

Bachelor's Degree in a STEM Discipline