Thermal Team Lead (Internal)

Thermal Team Lead

The Thermal Team Lead 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.

The ideal candidate for this role is a high-impact individual contributor looking to step into organizational leadership. It demands deep technical expertise in heat transfer and spacecraft thermal control, along with a demonstrated passion for mentorship and team building. 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.
• Mentor team members on complex technical challenges and serve as the technical authority and final approver for design reviews and analysis.
• 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
• 5+ years of industry experience in a thermal / mechanical engineering role
• Demonstrated history of technical leadership and mentorship (formal or informal).
• A strong interest in people development, process improvement, and organizational health.
• 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

• Direct management experience or experience as a project technical lead