Thermal Engineer

About the Company

Cowboy Space Corp. is building the infrastructure to power and connect the orbital economy. Our satellites operate in Low Earth Orbit to collect sunlight and enable a new class of capabilities—from powering on-orbit compute, to transmitting energy via infrared lasers (space-to-earth and space-to-space), powering on-orbit compute to delivering secure, high-bandwidth optical data.

Responsibilities

• Develop spacecraft thermal management architectures, including active and passive cooling solutions
• Utilize thermal simulation tools such as ANSYS Thermal Desktop to predict system behavior
• Identify optimum solutions considering size, weight, and power
• Develop and execute thermal cycle and thermal-vacuum tests
• Collaborate with mechanical, electrical, and build/test engineers
• Identify space-grade thermal materials, coatings, and insulation
• Conduct failure mode analysis and implement redundancy
• Work with optics, avionics, and propulsion teams to address thermal constraints

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or a related field
• 3+ years of experience in thermal analysis and design of spacecraft thermal systems
• Proficiency with ANSYS Thermal Desktop
• Strong understanding of thermodynamics and heat transfer fundamentals
• Experience designing, selecting, and testing thermal hardware (radiators, heat pipes, etc.)
• Experience with spaceflight hardware qualification and acceptance testing
• Familiarity with vacuum chamber thermal testing

Preferred Qualifications

• Master’s or PhD in Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or a related discipline
• 5+ years of experience in high-power and heat-flux applications
• Hands-on experience with spacecraft thermal integration and flight testing
• Experience with OpenTD and Python scripting

Benefits

• Equity in Cowboy Space Corp.
• Medical, dental, and vision insurance
• 401(k) retirement savings plan
• Paid time off and 10 paid holidays
• Paid parental leave
• Relocation assistance
• Daily lunch and fully stocked kitchen