Thermal Engineer

Today, everything we send to space is constrained by what fits inside a rocket fairing. That’s a fundamental bottleneck to building more capable spacecraft. Rendezvous Robotics is solving this problem with electromagnetic self‑assembling tiles that enable spacecraft that are bigger and more powerful than anything that can be folded to fit into a rocket. We’re a small team based in Golden, Colorado, executing on a clear path from flight demonstration to our first operational systems.

Our work spans hardware, software, and systems engineering, and we’re always looking for people who want to build things that matter.

We are looking for a Mid to Senior Level Thermal Engineer to fully own the design and analysis of thermal management systems for our self‑assembling tiles and spacecraft. You will own the thermal architecture end to end—defining requirements, designing and sizing thermal‑control hardware, building and correlating detailed thermal models, and carrying that hardware from concept through qualification, flight, and on‑orbit operation.

You’ll be the program’s thermal authority and a strong individual contributor: hands‑on with both the analysis and the hardware, giving the design team data‑driven recommendations and making the calls that keep the vehicle within temperature. You’ll partner closely with electrical, systems, mechanical, and test, and mentor the engineers growing into the discipline. This is a full‑time, on‑site role in Golden, Colorado.

• Own the thermal architecture and thermal‑control subsystem end to end—from requirements and concept through design, qualification, flight, and on‑orbit operation.
• Design, select, and size thermal‑control hardware—radiators, MLI, coatings, heaters, thermostats, heat pipes, conductive interfaces, and thermal interface materials.
• Build, refine, and correlate detailed thermal models; perform steady‑state and transient analyses across mission phases and environments.
• Evaluate orbital thermal environments (solar, albedo, planetary IR), eclipse transitions, and radiator and heater sizing.
• Define thermal requirements, allocate margins, and drive system‑level trade studies and architecture decisions.
• Support coupled thermo‑structural assessments.
• Plan, execute, and correlate thermal‑vacuum and thermal‑balance tests, including test‑article configuration and instrumentation strategy.
• Document analysis and design outputs, present findings to stakeholders, and mentor junior engineers in thermal best practices.

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Mechanical, Aerospace, or a related engineering discipline.
• 5+ years of spacecraft or aerospace thermal design and analysis experience.
• Demonstrated ownership of thermal‑control hardware design: sizing and selecting radiators, MLI, heaters, coatings, and conductive interfaces, not analysis alone.
• Proficiency with thermal analysis tools such as Thermal Desktop, SINDA/FLUINT, ESATAN, or a comparable node‑based or Python thermal solver.
• Hands‑on knowledge of thermal‑control hardware: MLI, OSR/radiator films, Kapton heaters, thermostats, surface coatings (α/ε), heat pipes, and conductive interfaces.
• Solid understanding of space thermal environments and their effects on materials and hardware.
• Experience defining thermal requirements and allocating thermal margins.

• Thermal‑vacuum and thermal‑balance test planning, execution, and model correlation.
• Proficiency with Python for analysis automation and comfort owning analysis code.
• Understanding of battery and electronics thermal limits (e.g., Li‑ion charge/discharge windows).
• Experience defining heater‑control, thermostat, or survival‑heater approaches with electrical and avionics teams.
• Experience with modular spacecraft, in‑space assembly, robotics, or autonomous space systems.
• Proficiency with CAD tools for integrating thermal hardware into mechanical assemblies.
• Familiarity with NASA thermal standards.
• Experience in a startup or fast‑iteration hardware environment.

Your actual level and base salary will be determined on a case‑by‑case basis and may vary based on the following considerations:…