Thermal Engineer III

About the Company

Quantum Space is redefining mobility and autonomy in cislunar and geostationary space. Our Ranger spacecraft deliver high delta-V and on-orbit maneuverability that enable customers to access, operate, and persist in orbits previously out of reach.

Responsibilities

• Lead development of high-fidelity spacecraft thermal models for prediction of on-orbit performance
• Own spacecraft-level thermal architecture, including active and passive thermal control design
• Review, refine, and correlate as-built thermal models and vendor-supplied thermal documentation
• Provide expert recommendations to mitigate thermal risks across spacecraft lifecycle phases
• Collaborate with mechanical, electrical, and systems engineering teams
• Support thermal vacuum (TVAC) test planning, execution, correlation, and troubleshooting
• Mentor and guide junior thermal engineers
• Develop tools, workflows, and standards within the thermal ecosystem
• Support integration, test, and launch-site operations

Requirements

• BS in Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or related field
• 7+ years of relevant thermal engineering experience (spacecraft strongly preferred)
• Advanced proficiency in Thermal Desktop, SINDA/FLUINT, or equivalent thermal analysis tools
• Experience with spacecraft flight hardware, integration, and thermal vacuum testing
• Familiarity with NASA, commercial, and industry standards for spacecraft design
• Demonstrated experience correlating thermal models with test data
• Ability to lead technical efforts and operate with a high degree of autonomy
• Must be a U.S. citizen, lawful permanent resident, or protected individual per ITAR regulations

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with spacecraft operations, thermal limits, and anomaly resolution
• Knowledge of thermal coatings, adhesives, multilayer insulation (MLI), and related materials
• Exposure to electrical component thermal modeling and PCB thermal behavior
• Experience with heat pipes, loop heat pipes, radiators, and advanced thermal hardware
• Understanding of orbital dynamics and thermal environments
• Prior experience in a fast-paced startup or NewSpace environment