Staff Thermal Engineer - Aircraft Avionics & Thermal Systems (R3930)
Leads design, analysis, and integration of thermal management systems for aircraft avionics and fluid systems using CFD tools and first-principles problem solving. Requires 7+ years experience in avionics thermal engineering and BS in Mechanical/Aerospace Engineering.
About the job
Responsibilities
- Contribute to thermal analysis and design efforts for unmanned aerial vehicle avionics and thermal/fluid systems.
- Develop and validate analytical, numerical, and computational models for heat transfer and fluid flow using hand calculations and CFD tools such as FloEFD.
- Drive test planning, instrumentation, and data analysis to correlate models with experimental results.
- Communicate technical findings clearly through executive-level briefings, design reviews, and written reports.
- Proactively identify risks, propose solutions, and influence electrical and/or PCBA design direction.
Required Qualifications
- B.S. in Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or related discipline.
- Minimum 7 years of professional experience in avionics or electronics thermal engineering.
- Strong expertise in heat transfer (conduction, convection, radiation) and fluid mechanics.
- Deep understanding of active and passive cooling solutions and their integration at component and system level.
- Deep understanding of thermal management design elements including TIMs, spreaders, heat sinks, vapor chambers, heat pipes, and fans.
- Proficiency with thermal analysis and CFD tools (e.g., ANSYS Icepak, FloEFD, STAR-CCM+).
- Proficiency with CAD design tools such as NX, SolidWorks, or similar.
- Demonstrated experience applying first-principles reasoning to complex engineering problems.
- Strong written and verbal communication skills, with a track record of leading technical discussions and presenting to stakeholders.
- Proven ability to learn and adapt quickly to new tools, processes, and technical challenges in a fast paced, startup environment.
Preferred Qualifications
- M.S. or Ph.D. in a relevant engineering discipline.
- Experience with high altitude aircraft avionics cooling and thermal design.
- Familiarity with aircraft integration constraints (power, weight, volume, maintainability, safety).
- Hands-on experience with thermal and fluid system testing, instrumentation, and validation.
- Knowledge of materials and manufacturing methods relevant to thermal management (pumps, heat exchangers, composites, etc.).
- Experience guiding trade studies, proposals, and customer interactions in aerospace or defense programs.
- Background in multi-disciplinary system integration, spanning avionics, fluid systems, and systems engineering.
Skills
Ansys Icepak, Floefd, Star-Ccm+, Nx, Solidworks, Cfd, Heat Transfer, Fluid Mechanics, Thermal Management, Heat Pipes
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