Head of Mechanical and Thermal Engineering Verified today

Role Overview

ReOrbit is seeking a Head of Mechanical and Thermal Engineering to lead the Mechanical and Thermal Engineering unit. You will direct a team responsible for the mechanical and thermal aspects of our spacecraft, overseeing the complete life cycle of structures, mechanisms and thermal control subsystems from initial architectural trade-offs to orbit delivery.

You will act as a key technical authority, driving the engineering of mechanical and thermal subsystems alongside other spacecraft teams, balancing mass, volume, and thermal margins against aggressive program timelines.

Responsibilities

• Define mechanical and thermal architecture for next-generation satellite platforms, optimizing for mass, manufacturability (DFM), and integration speed (MAIT)
• Drive technical execution through all major program gates (SRR, PDR, CDR, TRR) and ensure readiness for flight
• Identify thermo-mechanical risks including quasi-static analysis issues, thermo elastic problems, and thermal bottlenecks, and implement mitigation plans early in design
• Recruit, mentor, and retain a team of mechanical designers, structural analysts, and thermal engineers
• Manage departmental budgets, software licenses (CAD/FEA), and resource allocation across multiple concurrent missions
• Standardize engineering workflows including PDM/PLM implementation, analysis automation, and test data correlation
• Supervise Finite Element Analysis (FEA) and thermal analysis campaigns to verify safety margins for quasi-static, random vibration, shock, and thermo-elastic loads
• Oversee qualification campaigns including vibration, acoustic, shock, and Thermal Vacuum (TVAC) testing
• Conduct make vs. buy trade studies and manage technical relationships with vendors for composite structures, thermal hardware (MLI, heat pipes) and mechanisms

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering, Space Engineering (Mechanical focus), or Physics
• More than 10 years direct experience in space industry (satellite, launch vehicle, or lander programs) working with satellites of at least 300 kg mass
• At least 5 years experience managing engineering teams with proven track record delivering flight hardware on schedule
• Deep understanding of spacecraft primary and secondary structures, kinematics and mechanisms, and passive and active thermal control systems
• Proficiency with structural analysis tools such as FEMAP, NASTRAN, ANSYS, or HyperMesh
• Proficiency with thermal modeling tools such as ANSYS, Thermica, or ESATAN
• Familiarity with CAD tools including Siemens NX, CATIA, or SolidWorks, and PLM systems such as Teamcenter or Windchill
• Working knowledge of relevant NASA and ECSS standards

An advanced degree such as a Master's or PhD in thermo-mechanical engineering or space systems is preferred.

About ReOrbit

ReOrbit is a space technology company that manufactures sovereign satellites for national and commercial services. Our solutions enable intelligent, interconnected satellite systems with smaller form-factors and cost efficiency. We develop software in-house and integrate best-in-class hardware to create flexible and secure satellites. Headquartered in Helsinki, Finland with offices globally.