Thermal Engineer

Thermal Engineer Reading, UK | Hybrid Working iO Associates are partnered with an innovative UK-based space technology company developing next-generation satellite platforms and advanced electric propulsion systems. Their mission is to enable more efficient, sustainable satellite operations through cutting-edge spacecraft engineering and breakthrough propulsion technologies.

As they continue to scale their engineering team, they are seeking a Thermal Engineer to take ownership of spacecraft thermal control systems across the full mission lifecycle, from concept development and testing through to in-orbit operations.

The Role This is an opportunity for an experienced thermal engineer to play a key role in the development of advanced spacecraft platforms. Working closely with multidisciplinary teams including mechanical, propulsion, electronics and systems engineers, you will be responsible for ensuring thermal performance and reliability across all mission phases.

The successful candidate will be capable of developing thermal control solutions from first principles, taking ownership of analysis, design, testing and validation activities. Key Responsibilities Perform steady-state and transient thermal analyses for spacecraft systems across launch, testing and operational environments Develop and validate thermal models to assess heat transfer in vacuum environments dominated by conduction and radiation Analyse worst-case thermal scenarios, accounting for environmental effects and internal power dissipation Design thermal control hardware and solutions, including MLI, radiators, heaters, thermal straps, coatings and temperature sensing systems Support thermal vacuum (TVAC) campaigns, including test planning, instrumentation setup and post-test analysis Participate in hands-on hardware testing and validation activities for spacecraft components and subsystems Work closely with systems, mechanical and AIT teams to ensure thermal requirements are met throughout development Essential Experience Strong understanding of spacecraft thermal engineering principles Experience using industry-standard thermal analysis tools such as ESATAN, Thermal Desktop, Systema, or equivalent software packages Knowledge of environmental testing methodologies including TVAC, thermal cycling and spacecraft AIT activities Ability to op...

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