Varda Space
Senior Thermal Analysis Engineer
$140K–$179K
El Segundo, California, United States · Senior · Full-time · Posted Oct 2, 2026
- Experience
- 3–6+ years of equivalent professional experience may be considered for the degree requirement; 3+ years developing passive and active thermal control systems. Preferred: 3+ years of related professional experience with a master's degree.
- Education
- B.S. in Mechanical, Aerospace, or a related discipline, with consideration given to equivalent professional experience. A related engineering master's degree is preferred.
- Visa sponsorship
- Only hires U.S. persons permitted to access the company's technology without an export license (U.S. citizens, U.S. lawful permanent residents, or protected individuals admitted as refugees or granted asylum).
About the job
Develops and maintains spacecraft thermal systems and analysis models, using testing and flight data to help keep vehicles within operating and survival limits throughout missions.
What you'll do
- Develop thermal models and tools for analyzing model and flight data; anchor models to testing and flight data.
- Plan and conduct thermal vacuum testing and support vehicle-level testing.
- Coordinate thermal-control improvements across disciplines, and mentor junior engineers and review technical work.
What they ask for
- B.S. in Mechanical, Aerospace, or a related discipline, or equivalent professional experience.
- 3+ years of experience developing passive and active thermal control systems.
- Proficiency in Thermal Desktop and SINDA/FLUINT; experience using MATLAB or equivalent for data processing and task automation.
- Experience anchoring thermal models to test and/or flight data, and planning and executing TVac testing.
Nice to have
- Master's degree in a related engineering discipline and 3+ years of related professional experience.
- Experience with spacecraft lifecycle work or thermal design and analysis of reentry systems.
Pay
USD 140,333- 179,314 per year, base salary
Tools
Thermal Desktop, SINDA/FLUINT, MATLAB, SMC-S-016, Thermal Vacuum (TVac)
Model-written summary · the original posting is authoritative