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Voyager Technologies is an innovative space, defense, and national security technology company developing transformative, mission-critical solutions for spacecraft, lunar systems, and related space infrastructure.
The Senior Thermal Engineer will design, build, test, and operate thermal control systems for spacecraft including lunar landers, surface power systems, and rovers. This role reports to the Propulsion and Thermal Systems Manager within the Engineering Department in Pittsburgh, PA.
Key Responsibilities:
- Lead and support design, integration, testing, and operation of thermal control systems for spacecraft, lunar landers, lunar surface power, lunar rovers, and other space systems
- Create conceptual and detailed designs of spacecraft thermal systems accounting for orbital trajectories, mission concept-of-operations, lander architecture, and thermal control system function
- Build and run thermal models to guide spacecraft mission operations and inform thermal control system design
- Perform supplier management including developing specifications for vendor-supplied components, providing technical review of manufacturing processes, and assuring requirements are met via test and/or analysis
- Coordinate with program management, systems engineering, and other spacecraft subsystems to assess requirements, design progress, schedule, and risks
- Create integration instructions and provide support during spacecraft assembly in the cleanroom
- Write test plans and support TVAC (thermal vacuum chamber) testing for components, subsystems, and entire spacecraft
- Write mission operations procedures and provide real-time mission operations support
Travel: Occasional, periodic with specified project need, with stays up to a week when on-site support is required. Ability to lift, move, or carry items or equipment up to 25 pounds required. ITAR access required.
Required Qualifications:
- Bachelor's Degree in Aerospace, Mechanical, or similar Engineering with 8 years of experience in spacecraft thermal systems, OR a Master's Degree with 6 years of related experience
- Knowledge of spacecraft thermal system architecture, standards, best practices, components, and suppliers
- Experience designing or analyzing thermal control system components such as heaters, sensors, radiators, multi-layer insulation (MLI), coatings, heat pipes, and related hardware
- Experience with specification, vendor management, and requirements verification for thermal control system components
- Experience using fluid-thermal system design and analysis software (Thermal Desktop, Ansys Thermal, or Amesim preferred) to perform thermal control system trade studies
- Experience with TVAC (thermal vacuum chamber) testing of space hardware including test plans, test operations, and/or data processing and test reports
- Effective verbal and written communication, including reports and technical presentations
Preferred Qualifications:
- Experience designing, building, and testing active thermal control systems using pumped fluid loops
- Proven capability to take a concept from initial idea to final product
- Proficient in CAD (SolidWorks preferred) and lifecycle management tools
- Systems engineering experience with the ability to navigate and coordinate complex interactions with other sub-systems
