Thermal Engineering Manager

Thermal Engineering Manager

The Thermal Engineering Manager is responsible for owning the end-to-end execution of the satellite thermal system, spanning technical design, team leadership, and cross-functional execution. You will own a team whose technical responsibilities span electronics packaging and thermal reliability, subsystem thermal management, thermal hardware design and procurements, vehicle and unit level TVAC test planning and execution, and data analysis to support mission operations.

This role demands deep technical expertise in heat transfer and spacecraft thermal control, alongside a strong track record of leading engineering teams. You will be responsible for the technical growth of the individual thermal engineering team members, ensuring the team consistently delivers high-reliability designs aligned with aggressive program schedules.

Role

• Directly manage and grow a team of junior and senior thermal engineers, fostering a culture of technical excellence and ownership.
• Oversee the end-to-end design, analysis, build, and implementation of our satellite thermal management systems.
• Lead high-level architecture definition, trade studies, and vendor decisions for thermal hardware (heaters, heat pipes, coatings, etc.).
• Act as a primary interface to other engineering disciplines, production, and mission operations
• Ensure competitiveness through continuous technical innovation and industry expertise
• Manage a detailed schedule to ensure the thermal system development aligns with overall program objectives
• Hire and retain top-tier talent within the Thermal Engineering team

Requirements

• Bachelor's Degree or higher in a technical discipline (e.g. engineering, physics) or equivalent experience
• 7+ years of industry experience in a thermal / mechanical engineering role
• 2+ years of industry experience in a people leadership role
• Deep technical understanding of heat transfer physics, thermal control hardware, and electronics packaging.
• Previous aerospace or similar product design and production experience (full product development cycle from concept to operation).
• Exceptional time management skills, verbal & written communication skills, and organizational skills
• A passion for hardware development, including working in a fast-paced environment and doing hands-on design, analysis and testing.

Bonus

• Experience with Thermal Desktop
• Experience with ANSYS Mechanical or ANSYS IcePak
• Experience with Electronics Packaging and Printed Circuit Board (PCB) design
• Experience building and operating high vacuum systems
• Experience designing for a vacuum environment or environments with large temperature swings