Senior Thermal Analyst

K2 is building the largest and highest-power satellites ever flown, unlocking performance levels previously out of reach across every orbit. Backed by $450M from leading investors including Altimeter Capital, Redpoint Ventures, T. Rowe Price, Lightspeed Venture Partners, Alpine Space Ventures, and others – with an additional $500M in signed contracts across commercial and US government customers – we’re mass-producing the highest-power satellite platforms ever built for missions from LEO to deep space.

The rise of heavy-lift launch vehicles is shifting the industry from an era of mass constraint to one of mass abundance, and we believe this new era demands a fundamentally different class of spacecraft. Engineered to survive the harshest radiation environments and to fully capitalize on today’s and tomorrow’s massive rockets, K2 satellites deliver unmatched capability at constellation scale and across multiple orbits.

With multiple launches planned through 2026 and 2027, we're Building Bigger to develop the solar system and become a Kardashev Type II (K2) civilization. If you are a motivated individual who thrives in a fast-paced environment and you're excited about contributing to the success of a groundbreaking Series C space startup.

You will lead thermal modeling and simulation efforts for K2's spacecraft, owning the analysis that predicts spacecraft and component temperatures across all mission phases including ground processing, launch, and on-orbit operations. Working closely with Thermal Design Engineers, you will set modeling standards, review junior analysts' work, and be the primary interface between the analysis team and the Thermal Design Engineers who own hardware.

This is an analysis and simulation-focused role: you won't be sizing hardware or running TVAC campaigns yourself, but your models will directly inform the engineers who do.

You will partner with design engineers early in the process to ensure manufacturability while building the first prototype, design the build flow, and finalize the process for transition to production.

• Own end-to-end orbital thermal models via Thermal Desktop for the spacecraft bus from initial architecture through flight
• Work with lead engineers to design active and passive thermal control systems using basic heat transfer and mechanical equations to size lines, pumps, accumulators, cold plates etc.
• Lead steady-state and transient thermal analyses across the full worst-case hot/cold mission envelope, including degraded and off-nominal cases
• Lead trade studies on thermal control architecture
• Define and defend thermal margins at PDR/CDR-level design reviews; present findings directly to program leadership and customers
• Drive correlation of thermal models against TVAC and thermal balance test data; lead root-cause investigation when predictions and test disagree
• Set modeling standards and best practices for the analysis team; mentor junior/associate thermal analysts
• Design and development of heater and cooling systems including control architecture
• Setup, commission, and maintain state-of-the-art test stands and instrumentation
• Develop data acquisition systems for active and passive thermal control systems
• Perform tests on novel pump fluid loop including feed systems, power electronics, and hardware-in-the-loop
• Develop testing and control scripts to conduct safe and reliable test campaigns of pump fluid loop and individual components
• Own analysis documentation and verification closure packages for customer and internal reviews

• 5+ years of experience with thermal test experience in a high-rate manufacturing environment
• 3+ years of experience with sizing and testing fluid systems including pumps, valves, accumulators, heat exchanger, cold plates etc.
• Demonstrated experience with data acquisition for thermal and power related applications
• Experience with test plan development and execution
• Strong experience with thermal and TVAC testing including setup, instrumentation, and troubleshooting
• Demonstrated knowledge of NX or AutoCAD is preferred to design test fixtures

• Experience with Thermal Desktop and basic statistical data…