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Senior Staff Thermal Analyst Verified today

CesiumAstro · El Segundo, CA · Mechanical · first seen 2026-10-31
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Role Overview

CesiumAstro is seeking a Senior Staff Thermal Analyst to join our mechanical engineering team. You will apply advanced structural and thermal engineering principles to develop analysis methodologies, evaluate thermal performance and thermal-structural interactions, and serve as a primary technical resource across multiple programs. This role directly supports the development of communication systems for satellites, UAVs, launch vehicles, and airborne platforms.

Key Responsibilities

  • Apply structural engineering principles to develop structural analysis methodologies, verification strategies, and engineering solutions across multiple products and programs.
  • Evaluate load paths, stress distributions, fatigue life, fracture behavior, buckling stability, vibration response, thermal stresses, and structural integrity.
  • Lead complex finite element analyses (FEA), nonlinear analyses, margin of safety assessments, and design trade studies to resolve challenging structural engineering issues.
  • Perform thermal analyses involving heat transfer, temperature distributions, thermal loads, and thermal-structural interactions to evaluate product performance.
  • Lead complex structural verification, qualification, validation, and testing activities throughout the product development lifecycle.
  • Correlate thermal models with test data and evaluate temperature-related performance to support design improvements.
  • Guide root cause investigations, engineering changes, corrective actions, and structural improvements.
  • Serve as primary technical resource for structural and stress analysis across engineering and manufacturing initiatives.
  • Provide structural engineering guidance through design reviews, engineering investigations, manufacturing reviews, and supplier evaluations.
  • Mentor engineers and promote consistent structural analysis practices across the organization.
  • Advance structural analysis methodologies, verification practices, and engineering standards across multiple programs.
  • Evaluate emerging analytical technologies and identify opportunities for continuous improvement.

Required Qualifications

  • Bachelor's degree in aerospace engineering, mechanical engineering, civil engineering, or related field with 12-15 years of experience, OR Master's degree with 8-12 years of experience, OR PhD with 5-8 years of experience in structural analysis, stress analysis, finite element analysis, aerospace structures, or related discipline.
  • Applied knowledge of thermal analysis principles, heat transfer, thermal modeling, temperature distributions, and thermal-structural interactions.
  • In-depth knowledge of structural mechanics, stress analysis, mechanics of materials, finite element analysis (FEA), and advanced structural verification methodologies.
  • Extensive experience performing static, dynamic, vibration, fatigue, fracture, buckling, nonlinear, and thermal stress analyses.
  • Comprehensive understanding of material behavior, fracture mechanics, failure theories, margin of safety calculations, GD&T, manufacturing processes, and structural qualification requirements.
  • Proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite (Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Teams).
  • Expertise with FEA software such as ANSYS, Abaqus, Nastran, HyperMesh, or equivalent applications.
  • Experience with CAD software such as Creo or equivalent applications.
  • Experience with engineering documentation, PLM, ERP, and collaboration tools such as Windchill, SAP, Jira, or equivalent.
  • Demonstrated ability to develop innovative solutions for complex structural engineering challenges and mentor engineers on advanced technical methods.

Employment Details

Full-time position based in El Segundo, CA. CesiumAstro offers company stock options and comprehensive benefits including health, dental, vision, HSA, FSA, life, disability, and retirement plans.

Eligibility

To comply with U.S. Government Space Technology Export Regulations, applicants must be U.S. citizens, lawful permanent residents, conditional residents, asylees, refugees (as defined by 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3)), or eligible to obtain required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State.