Thermal Hardware Engineer; Dragon

Space

X was founded under the belief that a future where humanity is out exploring the stars is fundamentally more exciting than one where we are not. Today Space

X is actively developing the technologies to make this possible, with the ultimate goal of enabling human life on Mars.

As a Thermal Hardware Engineer at Space

X, you will have the opportunity to utilize your knowledge, experience, and creativity to develop novel solutions at the cutting edge of space technology. You will work on the aspects of spacecraft design that will enable humans to be ferried to and from the International Space Station and ultimately extend humanity’s reach beyond the Earth and moon. Our Thermal Control System team focuses on the Dragon spacecraft and develops the necessary hardware to allow Dragon to maintain thermal and environmental control and support life onboard the spacecraft.

This role is challenging, as it involves design, analysis, testing, and manufacturing of fluids system elements that are part of the thermal control system. You will be working with the team to develop and integrate these components into the Dragon spacecraft, to help carry out its mission of bringing humans into space, to the International Space Station, or beyond.

• Be responsible for a portion of the thermal control systems aboard the Space
  
  X Dragon space capsule, including both in-house fabricated and vendor-supplied components
• Perform CAD modeling and structural analysis of elements of the thermal control system
• Perform systems engineering tasks and fluid analyses
• Work with interdisciplinary customers to ensure the component will meet the requirements of avionics, GNC, mission operations, etc.
• Ensure designs are manufacturable and reliable; work with the production team to ensure a smooth transition to a reliable manufacturing process that has minimal sustaining engineering required
• Exemplify technical excellence and be accountable for your own work

• Bachelor’s degree in an engineering discipline
• 1+ years of experience with CAD and FEA software packages
• 1+ years of hands‑on experience driving the design and development of mechanical components or systems

• Master’s degree in an engineering discipline
• First principles understanding of heat transfer and thermodynamics; ability to perform simple hand calcs, etc.
• Hands‑on experience with fluid (liquid and/or gas) handling systems, especially those on a spacecraft or launch vehicle
• Proactive problem‑solving skills such as failure analysis, root cause investigation, and design of experiment creation
• Solid understanding of test methods/setups and data acquisition systems
• Ability to perform trade studies using first principles and engineering fundamentals to make clear recommendations even with partial information
• Experience with NX
• Solid understanding and application of geometric dimensioning and tolerancing (GD&T) and tolerance stack‑up analysis
• Experience with structural analysis methods (hand calcs, FEMAP, ANSYS, NASGRO, etc.) in order to optimize hardware to strength requirements as well as to evaluate for life and fracture
• Knowledge of metallic and fluid system manufacturing techniques, processes, equipment, and other processes such as machining, welding, brazing, tube bending, etc.
• Able to work well in an integrated collaborative team environment, including frequent interactions with technicians, other engineers, and managers
• Highly self‑motivated with strong organizational and written/oral communication skills – able to prioritize and execute tasks in a high‑pressure environment with the ongoing drive for continuous improvement in all aspects of work

• Willing to work extended hours and weekends as needed
• Ability to travel to remote sites as needed
• Ability to pass Air Force background check for Cape Canaveral

Pay range:

Level I: $95,000.00 - $/per year
Level II: $ - $/per year

Your actual level and base salary will be determined on a case‑by‑case basis and may vary based on the following considerations: job‑related knowledge and skills, education, and experience.

Ba…