Lead Thermal Engineer

Lead Thermal EngineerAbout the Role:We are seeking a Lead Thermal Engineer to own the design, analysis, and validation of thermal control solutions for a high-altitude aerospace vehicle operating in extreme stratospheric environments.This role is responsible for ensuring reliable thermal performance of avionics, payloads, energy systems, and structures through a combination of modeling, hardware support, and test validation.Key Responsibilities:Design and optimize active and passive thermal control architecturesPerform steady-state and transient thermal analysesDevelop and correlate thermal models across mission environmentsSupport material, insulation, coating, radiator, and interface trade studiesDefine thermal requirements, margins, and operating limits for critical subsystemsSupport environmental testing: thermal vacuum, altitude simulation, temperature cyclingAnalyze test results, correlate against predictions, and drive design improvementsCollaborate across mechanical, electrical, systems, and manufacturing teamsDocument analyses, compliance, and test readiness for flight hardwareRequired Qualifications:BS in Mechanical or Aerospace Engineering (or related field)5–10 years hands-on thermal engineering experience on aerospace or flight systemsProven ownership of thermal decisions through design, integration, and validationStrong applied heat transfer expertise, especially in low-density environmentsExperience with ANSYS, Thermal Desktop, COMSOL, or similar tools