Senior Thermal Engineer

Established in 2017, Infinite Orbits is a NewSpace company, based in Toulouse, pushing the boundaries of in-orbit services with cutting-edge spacecraft driven by its own Rendez-Vous solution, an advanced Autonomous Vision-Based Navigation Solution. IO has two generations of missions

"Orbit Guard" provides Inspection and Space Situational Awareness services in GEO. Our first, OG-1 was launched on 1 May 2023, the second is launching in 2025 and the third third launching in 2026.

"Endurance" is a docking service capable of extending the life of GEO telecom satellites, by taking over AOCS takeover for 5 years.

About the Role

To complete our dynamic and international team, we are looking for a Senior Thermal Engineer to lead the thermal design, analysis, and verification of high-performance systems such as spacecraft, satellites, avionics, or aerospace structures. This role involves ownership of thermal subsystem architecture, modelling, and validation, ensuring thermal control requirements are met under a wide range of operating conditions.

Job Description

Thermal Design & Analysis

Lead thermal design efforts from concept through delivery for spacecraft, payloads, electronics, or mechanical systems.

Develop thermal control systems using passive (radiators, insulation, thermal straps) and active (heaters, loop heat pipes, pumped loops) solutions.

Perform thermal modeling and simulation using tools such as Thermal Desktop, ESATAN, Sinda/Fluint, Ansys Icepak, or equivalent.

System Integration & Requirements

Define and manage thermal requirements based on mission needs and environmental constraints.

Develop and maintain thermal mathematical models (TMMs) at both component and system levels.

Ensure proper thermal interfaces between subsystems (mechanical, electrical, payload, etc.).

Verification & Testing

Develop and execute thermal test plans including:

Thermal balance tests

Thermal vacuum tests (TVAC)

Bakeout and thermal cycling

Correlate thermal models with test data and refine predictions accordingly.

Documentation & Reporting

Prepare technical documentation, including thermal design reports, analyses, test plans, and compliance matrices.

Support internal and customer design reviews (SRR, PDR, CDR, TRR).

Mentor junior engineers and guide best practices in thermal design and simulation.

Provide technical leadership within multidisciplinary project teams.

Requirements

Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Aerospace Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or a related discipline.

Minimum 5-10 years of experience in thermal engineering, ideally in the space or aerospace sector.

Proficiency with thermal simulation software and experience with spacecraft or high-reliability electronics thermal design.

Knowledge of applicable standards (e.g., ECSS-E-30-01, NASA-STD-7009, MIL-STD thermal test practices).

Strong analytical, problem-solving, and documentation skills.

Good to have:

Experience with thermal design for CubeSats, LEO/GEO spacecraft, or high-density electronics.

Familiarity with CAD tools (e.g., SolidWorks, CATIA) and their thermal model export interfaces.

Knowledge of mission operations constraints (e.g., orbital environments, eclipses, radiative conditions).

Experience supporting launch vehicle integration or in-orbit operations.

What we offer

The opportunity to be part of an international team transforming the space industry.

A creative and innovative work environment where ideas turn into reality.