K2 Space
Principal Thermal Design Engineer
$175K–$295K
Los Angeles, CA +1 · Principal · Full-time · Posted Jul 22, 2026
- Location
- Los Angeles, CA
Los Angeles - Experience
- 8+ years of experience with satellite thermal design and analysis.
- Visa sponsorship
- Must be a “U.S. person” as defined by 22 C.F.R. § 120.15 or otherwise eligible for a federally issued export control license.
About the job
Leads detailed thermal design and analysis of spacecraft components and systems, developing thermal-control strategies and validating them through testing.
What you'll do
- Develop thermal-control hardware and models for spacecraft subsystems; collaborate with Mechanical, Avionics, and GNC teams on designs and operational cases.
- Interface with vendors and launch providers, translating design information into thermal requirements and automating data analysis for architecture trades.
- Set up and execute thermal tests from development through qualification, including thermal cycling and thermal vacuum testing.
What they ask for
- 8+ years of experience with satellite thermal design and analysis.
- Demonstrated experience in radiative and conductive spacecraft thermal modeling using Thermal Desktop.
- Experience selecting, sizing, and designing thermal-control hardware, including heat pipes, heaters, OSR, MLI, and thermal straps.
- Experience with thermal cycling and thermal vacuum testing, including predictions, setup, instrumentation, and thermal model correlation.
Nice to have
- Experience with full-vehicle thermal vacuum testing and model correlation.
- Experience with Python, C/C++, or Matlab for thermal modeling and automated data analysis.
Pay
USD 175,000 - USD 295,000 base salary
Tools
Thermal Desktop, Ansys, Ansys IcePak, Python, C/C++, Matlab
Model-written summary · the original posting is authoritative