Senior Mechanical Engineer, Thermal Protection Systems

Job Description

Job Description

About Canopy Aerospace & Defense

Canopy A&D is built to accelerate the future of advanced materials for space, defense, and maritime systems. Canopy delivers specialized materials and components that carry customers from concept through sustainment. Canopy A&D’s advanced signal attenuation technologies and production-scale manufacturing accelerate the fielding of platforms that are faster, cooler, and quieter. Our adaptive approach ensures solutions evolve at the pace of shifting challenges, keeping our customers ahead of the curve.

Role Overview

In this role on the Canopy engineering team, you will own the end-to-end design and delivery of novel Thermal Protection Systems (TPS) solutions. You will work closely with the aerothermal, structures, and manufacturing teams to transition TPS concepts from simulation to physical, flight-ready hardware for platforms across space and hypersonics. You will join a small core team with combined experience managing nuclear weapons systems, starting companies, creating new materials, and flying things to space. To be successful in this role, you must be self-motivated, thrive in ambiguity, and be able to lead your own projects to completion.

Key Responsibilities

• Execute end-to-end ownership of TPS components and subassemblies, from initial requirements definition through final hardware delivery.
• Own and drive material trade studies that balance thermal survivability, structural integrity, and manufacturing realities for hypersonic regimes.
• Collaborate cross-functionally with aerothermal, design, materials, and test groups to translate heat flux and aero loads into robust mechanical designs.
• Develop detailed CAD, drawings, ICD’s, interface directly with the manufacturing floor, and ensure parts are built to spec.
• Support rigorous testing campaigns such as arc-jet, rapidly perform raw data reduction, and draw actionable conclusions to iterate designs based on empirical data.
• Serve as the resident SME in the TPS space, maintaining robust knowledge of current state-of-the-art and next-generation technologies.
• Lead technical sections of proposals and new products that enhance the organization's technical capabilities and support strategic defense growth objectives.

Required Qualifications

• 4+ years of direct, verifiable experience designing and owning TPS components or assemblies qualified through flight or high-enthalpy testing (e.g., arc-jet facilities such as NASA Ames, AEDC).
• Comprehensive knowledge of TPS materials and architectures, including thermal blankets, ablative carbon composites, rigid ceramics, and cryogenic insulation for re-entry and hypersonic environments.
• Full lifecycle design experience taking hardware from concept through manufacturing, including 3D CAD modeling, drawing release, and GD&T application.
• Strong technical foundation in structural mechanics, materials science, thermodynamics, heat transfer, and ablation mechanics.
• Demonstrated track record of delivering hardware on accelerated schedules through pragmatic, creative engineering solutions.
• Strong interdisciplinary communication skills, with the ability to clearly convey complex technical concepts across cross-functional teams.
• U.S. Security Clearance Eligibility: Active Secret clearance (or higher), or the ability to obtain and maintain one, including meeting U.S. government background and export-control requirements

Preferred Qualifications

• Graduate degree in Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, Materials Science, or a related technical field.
• Flight Heritage: Direct ownership of a TPS system that successfully operated and survived in a flight environment.
• Systems Experience: Direct experience working on the design, test, or integration of re-entry systems, launch vehicles, or hypersonic platforms.
• Programmatic Acumen: Experience planning and estimating complex projects, constructing bids and Basis of Estimates (BOEs), and developing technical schedules that were successfully executed.
• Business Development: Proven track record of writing and winning IRAD and/or CRAD proposals.
• Customer Facing: Experience interfacing directly with government (DoW, NASA) and commercial customers to define requirements and deliver technical updates.
• Supply Chain Command: Experience and high comfort level interfacing with, auditing, and managing suppliers specifically within the TPS and advanced materials space.
• Strong background operating within the defense sector.
• Familiarity with space and defense standards such as but not limited to SMS-S-016, MIL-STD-810, NASA-GSFC-7000 series or other industry equivalent standards for design, analysis, and testing of defense articles.

Additional Requirements

• Ability to work in office, lab, and manufacturing environments with occasional exposure to noise, dust, and temperature variations.
• Must be able to lift and carry up to 35 lb and perform tasks involving standing, walking, bending, and manual assembly.
• Visual acuity required for reading technical drawings, inspecting components, and operating precision instruments.
• Occasional travel to customer or test sites, including outdoor or industrial settings, with adherence to company and OSHA safety protocols.
• Must have professional working proficiency reading, writing, and speaking English.

Job Details

Salary Range: $130,000 - $180,000

FLSA Classification: Salary Exempt
Type: Full Time
Base Location: Irvine, CA
Travel: Up to 25%

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.

Total compensation will also include a comprehensive set of benefits including but not limited to: Company paid employee medical, dental and vision insurance. 401K company match (eligibility required), paid sick leave, paid vacation, paid holidays and discretionary bonuses.

EXPORT CONTROL REQUIREMENTS:

To conform to US Government export regulations, the applicant must be a (i) US Citizen, (ii) lawful permanent resident of the U.S. (aka green card holder), (iii) protected individual as defined by U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3), or (iv) eligible to obtain the required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State.

Canopy A&D is an Equal Opportunity Employer, employment with Canopy A&D is governed on the basis of merit, competence and qualifications and will not be influenced in any manner by race, color, religion, gender, national origin/ethnicity, veteran status, disability status, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, mental or physical disability or any other legally protected status.

We may use artificial intelligence (AI) tools to support parts of the hiring process, such as reviewing applications, analyzing resumes, or assessing responses and identifying potential inconsistencies or verification signals in application materials based on available information. These tools assist our recruitment team but do not replace human judgment. Final hiring decisions are ultimately made by humans. If you would like more information about how your data is processed, please contact us.