Thermal Analyst III, CFD - Lunar Permanence Verified today
About the Role
You will join the Lunar Core Components Heat Transfer team as a Thermal Analyst, providing thermal analysis expertise to Blue Moon lunar vehicle architectures. Working with thermal engineers, you will design, build, test, and verify innovative thermal hardware for lunar landers while driving mission-critical systems through the full development cycle.
What You Will Do
- Conduct thermal analysis using CFD simulation methods for component-level spacecraft systems
- Design, size, and validate heat exchangers, cold plates, radiators, and related thermal hardware
- Model steady-state and transient thermal and fluid systems
- Build and test thermal hardware, correlating models with test data
- Create detailed schematics and system documentation for fluid systems
- Collaborate across cross-functional teams to deliver reliable spacecraft thermal solutions
Required Qualifications
- Bachelor's degree in Mechanical or Aerospace Engineering
- 5 or more years of relevant Thermal Engineering experience
- Strong grasp of heat transfer and fluid system fundamentals
- Familiarity with heat exchangers, cold plates, radiators, and other spacecraft hardware
- Experience designing, sizing, building, and/or testing hardware
- CAD software experience, preferably Creo
- Experience with CFD simulation methods for component-level analysis
- Proficiency with thermal analysis software such as Thermal Desktop, FloCAD, MATLAB, Python scripting, CFD++, or Ansys Fluent
- Demonstrated success working in cross-functional teams
Desired Qualifications
- Master's degree or Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, Physics, or related field
- 7 or more years of aerospace experience
- Deep understanding of pumped fluid loop hardware including pumps, cold plates, radiators, valves, and heat exchangers
- Breadth of experience solving diverse thermal problems
- FEA tools experience
- Ability to anchor first-principles models to higher-fidelity simulations and test data
- Understanding of aerospace best practices and procedures
- Experience creating P&IDs for compressible, incompressible, and two-phase fluid systems
Employment Details
- Travel expected up to 20% of the time
- Relocation provided
Compensation
Base pay range varies by location:
- California applicants: $130,706.00 to $182,987.70
- Colorado applicants: $119,814.00 to $167,738.55
- Washington applicants: $130,706.00 to $182,987.70
- Other site ranges may differ
Benefits
- Medical, dental, and vision coverage
- Basic and supplemental life insurance
- Paid parental leave
- Short and long-term disability
- 401(k) with company match up to 5%
- Education Support Program
- Stock options for all regular employees working 20+ hours per week
- Paid time off up to four weeks per year based on scheduled hours, plus up to 14 company-paid holidays
- Performance bonuses eligible depending on role type and level
Requirements
Applicants must be a U.S. citizen or national, U.S. permanent resident (Green Card holder), or lawfully admitted into the U.S. as a refugee or granted asylum. Standard background check required for all positions.