Senior Thermal Engineer I

Company: CesiumAstro
Location: El Segundo
Posted on: February 15, 2026

Job Description:

Job Description Job Description Please Note: To conform with the United States Government Space Technology Export Regulations, the applicant must be a U.S. citizen, lawful permanent resident of the U.S., conditional resident, asylee or refugee (protected individuals as defined by 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3)), or eligible to obtain the required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State. At CesiumAstro , we are developers and pioneers of out-of-the-box communication systems for satellites, UAVs, launch vehicles, and other space and airborne platforms. We take pride in our dynamic and cross-functional work environment, which allows us to learn, develop, and engage across our organization. If you are looking for hands-on, interactive, and autonomous work, CesiumAstro is the place for you. We are actively seeking passionate, collaborative, energetic, and forward-thinking individuals to join our team. We are looking to add a Senior Thermal Engineer I to our team. If you are great at what you do, enjoy working in a startup environment, and are passionate about developing leading-edge hardware for satellites, spacecraft, and aerospace systems, we would like to hear from you. In this position, you will be responsible for the design, analysis, and validation of thermal control systems for Cesium’s next-generation products. The ideal candidate will combine extensive experience in developing and analyzing thermal management systems for satellite electronics, and airborne systems with deep knowledge in space and aerospace thermal environments. As a senior member of a cross-functional team, you will be responsible for thermal designs from initial concept design through requirements definition, detailed design, simulation/analysis, manufacturing, testing, qualification, and in-orbit support of Cesium’s products. You will work closely with other electrical and mechanical engineers on an integrated team to develop highly optimized solutions. The successful candidate will also present engineering design review materials to customers and upper management, as well as participate in proposal-writing efforts. As such, excellent written and verbal communication skills are required. JOB REQUIREMENTS AND MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS A Bachelor of Science (BS) or higher in Mechanical, Thermal, or Aerospace Engineering from an accredited university or institution. 4 years of industry experience in thermal/mechanical design and analysis utilizing a mixture of numerical and analytical techniques. A Master of Science may count as 2 years of experience. Expertise in electronics component, PCBA, unit, and system-level thermal design and analysis. Strong proficiency in professional simulation tools such as ANSYS or Thermal Desktop (preferred), as well as MCAD tools such as SolidWorks (preferred). Strong mechanical engineering and heat transfer foundation. Experience modeling heat pipes and other two-phase thermal management products Experience analyzing solder joint reliability subject to thermomechanical fatigue cycles Experience building thermal resistance networks and reduced order thermal models for complex thermal systems. Experience correlating thermal models with TVAC test results. Experience developing analysis automation tools (spreadsheet or script-based). Familiarity with common manufacturing processes for thermal control systems. Familiarity with the development of thermal control systems and fixtures for lab environments. PREFERRED EXPERIENCE Expertise in thermal management of phased array and/or high-power RF electronics. Expertise in MLI and other spacecraft thermo-optical treatments. Expertise in system level spacecraft, satellite, and/or airborne vehicle thermal analysis. Spacecraft or payload mission design knowledge is preferred. Experience with thermal analysis of electronics at the die, lead-frame, and package level Proficiency with computational scripting languages (Matlab, Python, Mathematica, etc.) and/or APDL CesiumAstro considers several factors when extending an offer, including but not limited to, the role and associated responsibilities, a candidate’s work experience, education/training, and key skills. Full-time employment offers include company stock options and a generous benefits package including health, dental, vision, HSA, FSA, life, disability and retirement plans. CesiumAstro is an Equal Opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability, protected Veteran Status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local law. Please note: CesiumAstro does not accept unsolicited resumes from contract agencies or search firms. Any unsolicited resumes submitted to our website or to CesiumAstro team members will be considered property of CesiumAstro, and we will not be obligated to pay any referral fees. We may use artificial intelligence (AI) tools to support parts of the hiring process, such as reviewing applications, analyzing resumes, or assessing responses. These tools assist our recruitment team but do not replace human judgment. Final hiring decisions are ultimately made by humans. If you would like more information about how your data is processed, please contact us.

Keywords: CesiumAstro, Victorville , Senior Thermal Engineer I, Engineering , El Segundo, California