Position Summary

The Thermal Test Engineer builds and operates the practical capability needed to conduct spacecraft thermal-cycle and thermal-vacuum testing. This is a hands-on role responsible for commissioning and maintaining in-house TVAC capability, designing test setups and ground-support equipment, operating the chamber, and serving as test conductor. The engineer partners closely with Thermal Analysis and Vehicle Test to deliver safe, repeatable tests and complete, trustworthy as-run datasets.

Responsibilities

• Plan, prepare, and execute component-, subsystem-, and vehicle-level thermal-cycle and TVAC tests.
• Personally operate the TVAC chamber and serve as test conductor during test campaigns.
• Commission, characterize, maintain, and improve in-house thermal-vacuum test capability.
• Develop chamber operating procedures, standard work, readiness checks, contingency procedures, redlines, and operator training.
• Design and implement thermal test setups, including fixtures, harnessing, heater circuits, thermocouple layouts, feedthroughs, chamber interfaces, and required ground-support equipment.
• Install, route, label, calibrate, check out, and document thermocouples, heaters, instrumentation, and data-acquisition channels.
• Define and verify vacuum, shroud, platen, ramp-rate, temperature, dwell, stabilization, and data-recording parameters in coordination with the responsible technical leads.
• Lead chamber and instrumentation readiness activities and contribute the thermal-test content to integrated test plans, procedures, and Test Readiness Reviews.
• Monitor test execution, assess data quality in real time, troubleshoot facility and instrumentation issues, and coordinate anomaly response.
• Deliver validated as-run data, channel maps, calibration records, test logs, configuration records, deviations, and operational reports.
• Provide complete test data and setup documentation to the Thermal Analysis Engineer, who owns thermal model correlation and updated analytical predictions.
• Coordinate personnel, shift coverage, safety controls, facility interfaces, and minor travel to external test locations when required.

Basic Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering, aerospace engineering, electrical engineering, or a related technical discipline, or equivalent relevant experience.
• 2 + years of experience

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience commissioning, characterizing, or expanding an aerospace TVAC facility.
• Experience designing thermal fixtures, chamber harnessing, heater-control circuits, feedthrough systems, or custom test GSE.
• Experience testing spacecraft or spaceflight hardware.
• Familiarity with Python or MATLAB for test automation, data reduction, visualization, or channel-health monitoring.
• Experience leading Test Readiness Reviews or coordinating multidisciplinary test teams.
• Working knowledge of thermal-balance testing and the data needed for thermal model correlation.
• Hands-on experience executing aerospace thermal-vacuum or thermal-cycle testing at the component, subsystem, or vehicle level.
• Experience operating a TVAC chamber and supporting or serving in a test-conductor role.
• Experience with thermocouples, heaters, vacuum systems, thermal instrumentation, data-acquisition systems, and test troubleshooting.
• Ability to design and build test setups and ground-support equipment with appropriate engineering documentation and safety controls.
• Experience writing and executing test procedures and maintaining accurate as-run records.
• Willingness to work shifts, nights, or weekends during active test campaigns and travel occasionally.

Work Expectations

• This is an onsite, hands-on test role centered on in-house TVAC capability.
• Shift work, nights, and weekends will periodically be required during test campaigns.
• Minor travel may be required to support testing at external facilities.

Pay Range: $120,000 - $175,000