Staff Thermal Engineer, Space

Anduril Industries is a defense technology company with a mission to transform U.S. and allied military capabilities with advanced technology. By bringing the expertise, technology, and business model of the 21st century’s most innovative companies to the defense industry, Anduril is changing how military systems are designed, built and sold. Anduril’s family of systems is powered by Lattice OS, an AI-powered operating system that turns thousands of data streams into a realtime, 3D command and control center. As the world enters an era of strategic competition, Anduril is committed to bringing cutting-edge autonomy, AI, computer vision, sensor fusion, and networking technology to the military in months, not years.

ABOUT THE TEAM

Anduril's Space team is dedicated to expanding our AI-powered capabilities into the final frontier, enhancing Space Domain Awareness, Space Control, and Command and Control for U.S. military and allied partners. We're developing fully integrated hardware and software systems, including Lattice for Space Missions and modular payloads, to address growing threats in space and ensure our Guardians maintain a decisive advantage in this contested war-fighting domain.

WHAT YOU’LL DO

• Own the thermal design and analysis of a space vehicle or payload program

• Use first principles as a basis for every decision and discern the right level of analysis to apply. Execute hand calculations, spreadsheet, and MATLAB/Python first-order models to inform path forward before jumping into detailed design

• Define worst case thermal environments across the vehicle mission lifetime

• Define system thermal budgets and requirements through collaboration with engineers in other disciplines

• Drive thermal architectures and hardware definitions, such as radiator sizing, coating selections, heater power allocation, MLI definitions, thermal interface material selections, thermal management techniques, and trading heat transport devices

• Support PCBA thermal analysis and electronic component thermal management

• Own the development, planning, and execution of unit and system thermal vacuum, thermal balance, and thermal cycle tests

• Develop internal tools to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of analysis

• Develop, prepare, and execute thermal tests to inform analysis and reduce risk on key hardware assemblies

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

• BS, MS, or higher degree in engineering, applied physics, or hard science

• Demonstrated knowledge of heat transfer in academic and/or professional setting

• Application of first-order hand calculations to drive thermal architectures and verify accuracy of higher fidelity models

• Proficiency in Thermal Desktop or equivalent thermal simulation tool

• Thermal experience with spacecraft components such as optical payloads, electronics, mechanisms, etc.

• Hands-on experience prototyping hardware and conducting thermal tests

• Experience with CAD, selecting instrumentation, post-processing data, correlating models

• Ability to independently navigate and solve complex, open-ended technical problems in a fast-paced environment

• CAD experience (Siemens NX preferred)

• Excellent oral and written communication skills. Ability to communicate pros/cons of system architecture with respect to thermal considerations

• Passion for defending the United States and her allies

• U.S. Person status is required as this position needs to access export-controlled data

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Highly proficient using Thermal Desktop (10+ years)

• Design or test experience on a space platform

• Experience developing code in higher-level languages like Python or MATLAB for applications like lumped thermal capacitance steady state and transient analysis

• Experience with full life cycle of space hardware development, from concept to on-orbit operation

• Experience using FloCAD and SINDA/FLUINT

• Experience with driving implementation of passive and active thermal control hardware

• Be able to obtain and hold a U.S. Top Secret security clearance

US Salary Range

$191,000—$254,000 USD

The salary range for this role is an estimate based on a wide range of compensation factors, inclusive of base salary only. Actual salary offer may vary based on (but not limited to) work experience, education and/or training, critical skills, and/or business considerations. Highly competitive equity grants are included in the majority of full time offers; and are considered part of Anduril's total compensation package. Additionally, Anduril offers top-tier benefits for full-time employees, including:

Benefits

At Anduril, we invest in our people. Our comprehensive, competitive benefits package (available at little to no cost to employees) ensures you’re supported in health, recovery, and whatever comes next. For more information, Explore Our Benefits.

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