Full Job Description
We're looking for a Thermal Design Engineer who combines superb technical, research and analytical capabilities with a demonstrated ability to get the right work done quickly and effectively. This person must have experience working in spacecraft design, producing top notch thermal analysis and providing essential thermal related input and recommendations to vehicle architects and subsystem leads.
Key job responsibilities
- Support extensive architectural trades by performing preliminary thermal analysis of spacecraft and subsystems for orbital operational conditions and vehicle control options.
- Perform conceptual through detailed thermal analysis of Bus and Payload subsystems, components, and mechanisms.
- Support thermal design activities for additional future programs as the Amazon Leo constellation evolves.
- Develop automated scripts enabling rapid analysis updates to accommodate design trades (power states, duty cycles, structural mapping).
- Design, analyze, and select heat pipes for Bus and Payload components.
- Develop automated scripts enabling rapid analysis updates accommodating trades (power states, duty cycles, structural mapping).
- Define and execute thermal cycling and TVAC tests for development and qualification testing at the subsystem and vehicle level. Correlate test results with mission operations models.
- "Define and select test equipment as needed (e.g., sensors, data logging equipment).
- Perform thermal model correlation using test results.
- Conduct testing of prototypes and engineering models for fast design feedback loops.
- Plan and execute characterization, qualification, and acceptance tests.
- Document trades and design evolution, and prepare materials for design review gates.
- Support thermal design for terrestrial equipment and systems using CFD analysis.
BASIC QUALIFICATIONS
- 4+ years of working in mechanical engineering or equivalent experience
- Experience with prototyping and implementation
- 3+ years of experience with thermal analysis software, including writing custom scripts to enable rapid design trades and iterations for system and subsystem optimizations for various use cases.
- 1+ years experience with test planning, test set-up, results correlation and system verification for production.
- 1+ years of experience developing and/or selecting thermal control hardware, including materials and finishes, paints, interface materials, MLI blankets, heat pipes, radiators, temperature sensors, and heaters.
- 1+ years of experience with thermal simulation software (e.g., Thermal Desktop (SINDA), ANSYS) and programming (e.g., Python, MATLAB).
PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS
- Knowledge of SolidWorks simulation or Ansys Finite Element analysis tools
- Experience in the design of complex mechanical products and equipment at volume
- Advanced degree (Master's or PhD) in Mechanical Engineering or related field.
- Experience with spacecraft thermal design, and delivering design solution optimized for mass, cost, reliability, performance, manufacturability.
- Experience developing hardware and spacecraft that have been to space and successfully operated as intended.
- Developing spacecraft thermal solutions for high power flux components.
- CAD skills (NX or Solidworks)
- Experience with interpreting and correlating data from on-orbit telemetry.
