Thermal Engineer

Job Title: Thermal Engineer

Job Description

The Thermal Engineer will support the design, development, analysis, and verification of advanced aerospace systems with a primary focus on thermal performance. In this role, you develop thermal models, perform detailed thermal analyses, and support thermal testing activities throughout the product lifecycle. You work closely with multidisciplinary engineering teams to ensure thermal designs meet mission requirements, performance objectives, and industry best practices.

Responsibilities

• Develop, maintain, and validate thermal models ranging from simplified representations to high-fidelity simulations using Thermal Desktop, SINDA/FLUINT, and related analysis tools.
• Perform steady-state and transient thermal analyses for components, subsystems, and integrated vehicle configurations to predict and optimize thermal performance.
• Evaluate thermal behavior across multiple mission phases, including launch, ascent, cruise, orbital operations, surface operations, and off-nominal scenarios.
• Conduct thermal sensitivity studies to support design evaluations, hardware development efforts, and engineering requirements definition.
• Support thermal verification and validation activities, including test planning, thermal vacuum testing, data analysis, and correlation of test results with analytical models.
• Collaborate with cross-functional engineering teams to optimize passive and active thermal control system architectures for aerospace applications.
• Provide technical guidance on thermal design considerations and ensure compliance with program requirements, engineering standards, and industry best practices.
• Participate in design reviews, technical interchange meetings, trade studies, and anomaly investigations, contributing thermal analysis expertise and recommendations.
• Review internal and external thermal designs for technical accuracy, performance, and compliance with engineering requirements and mission objectives.
• Prepare clear technical reports, engineering analyses, presentations, and documentation to communicate findings, results, and recommendations to stakeholders.
• Support integration efforts with systems engineering, mission operations, and hardware development teams throughout the engineering lifecycle.
• Engage with project teams over time with the potential opportunity to transition to a direct role with the client after a contract-to-hire period.

Essential Skills

• At least 5 years of experience working as a Thermal Engineer in aerospace or a closely related field.
• Strong proficiency in thermal analysis and thermal design for aerospace systems and components.
• Hands-on experience with thermal analysis tools such as Thermal Desktop, COMSOL, and ANSYS Fluent.
• Proficiency with SINDA/FLUINT or similar thermal network analysis tools.
• Solid understanding of heat transfer principles, including conduction, convection, and radiation.
• Deep knowledge of spacecraft thermal environments and their impact on system and component design.
• Bachelors degree in Engineering, such as Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or a closely related discipline.
• Ability to develop, validate, and correlate analytical models with test data.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills applied to complex thermal engineering challenges.
• Effective communication skills to present technical information clearly in reports, presentations, and design reviews.
• Ability to work collaboratively within multidisciplinary engineering teams.

Additional Skills & Qualifications

• Experience working on advanced aerospace systems across multiple mission phases.
• Mechanical engineering and aerospace engineering with exposure to system-level design considerations.
• Familiarity with both passive and active thermal control system architectures.
• Experience supporting thermal vacuum testing and other environmental test campaigns.
• Ability to participate in trade studies and anomaly investigations, providing data-driven thermal insights.
• Experience preparing comprehensive technical documentation for internal and external stakeholders.
• Interest in long-term project engagement with potential for contract-to-hire conversion.

This is a Contract to Hire position based out of Houston, TX.

The pay range for this position is $43.00 - $45.00/hr.

Individual compensation offered for this position within this range will depend on many factors, including qualifications, skills, relevant experience, job knowledge, geographic location, internal equity, and other pertinent job-related factors.

Eligibility requirements apply to some benefits and may depend on your job classification and length of employment. Benefits are subject to change and may be subject to specific elections, plan, or program terms. If eligible, the benefits available for this temporary role may include the following: Medical, dental & vision Critical Illness, Accident, and Hospital 401(k) Retirement Plan Pre-tax and Roth post-tax contributions available Life Insurance (Voluntary Life & AD&D for the employee and dependents) Short and long-term disability Health Spending Account (HSA) Transportation benefits Employee Assistance Program Time Off/Leave (PTO, Vacation or Sick Leave)

This is a Contract to Hire position based out of Houston, TX.

This position is anticipated to close on Oct 30, 2026.

This is a fully onsite position in Houston,TX.

About Actalent

Actalent is a global leader in engineering and sciences services and talent solutions. We help visionary companies advance their engineering and science initiatives through access to specialized experts who drive scale, innovation and speed to market. With a network of almost 20,000 consultants and 5,000 clients across the U.S., Canada, Asia and Europe, Actalent serves many of the Fortune 500. We are proud to be an Engineering News-Record (ENR) Top 500 Design Firm for our engineering design services and a ClearlyRated Best of Staffing® winner for both client and talent service.

The company is an equal opportunity employer and will consider all applications without regard to race, sex, age, color, religion, national origin, veteran status, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information or any characteristic protected by law.

If you would like to request a reasonable accommodation, such as the modification or adjustment of the job application process or interviewing process due to a disability, please email View email address on click.appcast.io for other accommodation options.

San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance: Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, for all positions located in the city and county of San Francisco, we will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records.

Massachusetts Lie Detector: It is unlawful in Massachusetts to require or administer a lie detector test as a condition of employment or continued employment. An employer who violates this law shall be subject to criminal penalties and civil liability.

Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI): We may use Artificial Intelligence (AI) to support parts of our hiring process, including sourcing, screening, and evaluating candidates. AI helps assess applications and qualifications, but final decisions are made by our hiring team. By applying, you acknowledge and agree that your application may be reviewed using AI tools.