Senior Thermal Engineer Verified today

The Role

As a Senior Thermal Engineer, you will own the thermal design of ICEYE's next generation satellite platform and its imaging payload, making sure both stay within temperature limits and hold the precise thermal stability the instrument needs. Working hands-on across simulation, hardware, and test, you will drive thermal analysis at system level, take ownership of thermal control hardware from concept and supplier selection through validation, and guide material choices for the space environment. As a founding member of a small team, you will follow the design through every stage of the product lifecycle, from concept and prototyping to assembly, integration, TVAC and thermal balance testing, qualification, and in-orbit validation.

Your Responsibilities

• Be a key founding member of the small team responsible for the spacecraft systems lifecycle, from design up to in-orbit validation, including testing, qualification, verification, and iteration.
• Be a technical leader for thermal design and optimization of the satellite platform and the interfaces between bus and payload, with hands-on participation in thermal hardware assembly and engineering activities.
• Drive thermal design and simulation of the next-generation satellite, performing thermal analysis at the system level.
• Collaborate with subcontractors during the development phase.
• Specify and support qualification tests at the system level, making sure thermal performance meets requirements.
• Take ownership of thermal hardware: propose new concepts to optimize thermal performance, identify new suppliers, and test and validate the design.
• Support assembly, integration, and test activities by maintaining thermal control component definitions and specifying qualification tests.

What You Bring

Must haves:

• Expert knowledge and hands-on skills in spacecraft thermal design, analysis, and optimization, across all phases from concept up to qualification and integration.
• Familiarity with material science and engineering, able to guide material selection and analysis for the space environment (outgassing, thermal cycling, thermoelastic effects). Experience with structural and thermo-mechanical analysis is required.
• Familiarity with testing methods such as TVAC and/or thermal balance testing, including pre-launch qualification campaigns and model correlation.
• Experience in precise thermal stability control.
• Mindset of owning problems and solving them, with capability of taking risks and leaning forward when needed. R&D style of learning by doing and iterating on parts that require improvement.
• Hands-on experience with thermal spacecraft hardware: heat pipes, surface treatments, MLI, and active thermal control components.
• Knowledge of Systema-Thermica, ESATAN, Thermal Desktop, and/or Simcenter 3D.
• Good understanding of spacecraft dynamics, orbital movement, and orbit evolution.

Nice to haves:

• Experience with thermal design for high-precision optical systems and/or high-precision actuated systems.
• Experience with thermal aspects of electric propulsion systems.
• Experience with vacuum and cryogenic applications and materials used in the aerospace industry.

About the Role

• Location: Warsaw, Poland
• Department: Engineering/Optical Systems
• Reports to: Engineering Lead, Mechanical Engineering
• Employment type: Permanent
• Workplace model: Hybrid
• Security screening applies, including SUPO where required