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Senior Thermal Analysis Engineer Verified today

Varda Space · El Segundo, CA · Mechanical · first seen 2026-10-03
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About Varda

Varda is building commercial space infrastructure for in-orbit pharmaceutical processing and reliable reentry capsules. Varda's W-Series vehicles are designed, built, and operated entirely in-house, including pharmaceutical processing payloads, capsules, C-PICA heat shields, and satellite buses. The company is headquartered in El Segundo, California, with additional offices in Washington, DC and Huntsville, AL.

The Role

As Senior Thermal Analysis Engineer, you will develop and maintain thermal system architectures for Varda's space vehicles and collaborate cross-functionally with hardware, production, software, and mission operations teams. Your work directly influences spacecraft design and performance, moving between quick evaluations and high-fidelity thermal analysis. You will build thermal modeling and data processing workflows to support scaling vehicle cadence.

Responsibilities

  • Develop and maintain integrated thermal analysis models for Varda's space vehicles
  • Create and maintain tools and systems for model and flight data processing
  • Ensure spacecraft remains within operating and survival limits during all mission phases via passive and active thermal control
  • Collaborate with other spacecraft disciplines to drive hardware, software, and operational improvements
  • Plan, execute, and anchor models to Thermal Vacuum (TVac) testing
  • Provide guidance to vehicle-level testing including thermal bakeout, Vehicle-In-The-Loop (VITL), and propulsion hot fire
  • Work independently with minimal technical oversight
  • Mentor junior engineers and serve as a technical peer reviewer

Required Qualifications

  • B.S. in Mechanical, Aerospace, or related discipline, or equivalent professional experience (typically 3-6+ years)
  • 3+ years of experience in developing passive and active thermal control systems
  • Proficiency in detailed thermal analysis using Thermal Desktop and SINDA/FLUINT
  • Experience anchoring thermal models to test and/or flight data
  • Experience planning and executing Thermal Vacuum Chamber (TVac) testing
  • Experience in MATLAB (or equivalent) for data processing and task automation
  • Familiarity with thermal margins and qualification test requirements in SMC-S-016
  • Excellent written and verbal communication skills with aptitude for interdisciplinary technical communication

Preferred Qualifications

  • Master's degree in a related engineering discipline with 3+ years of professional experience
  • Experience across entire spacecraft vehicle lifecycle: concept, design development, production, integration, test, and mission operations
  • Experience in thermal design and analysis of reentry systems
  • Track record of taking ownership of projects and delivering results in fast-paced environments

Compensation

Salary range: $140,333 to $179,314 per year. Leveling and base salary determined by job-related skills, education, experience, and performance. Eligible for stock options and/or long-term cash awards.

Employment Details

This is a full-time, on-site position in El Segundo, California. You must be a U.S. person (U.S. citizen, U.S. lawful permanent resident, or individual admitted as a refugee or granted asylum) due to access to export-controlled items.