Thermal Engineer

About Us Array Labs builds advanced radar systems to help humanity understand and respond to changes across the physical world. We're launching a coordinated fleet of radar satellites to create a high-resolution 3D map of the Earth, updated in real time, enabling faster, smarter decision-making for government and commercial organizations supporting disaster response, infrastructure resilience, and mission-critical geopolitical intelligence. We design and build our satellites end-to-end, producing the world's most advanced earth observation satellites. Our fleet will deliver unprecedented levels of accuracy, coverage, and responsiveness to power critical insights precisely where they're needed most.

About the Job

As a Thermal Engineer, you will own the thermal design of Array's radar satellites and payloads, from architecture through flight verification. Spaceborne radar is fundamentally a thermal problem: high-power transmit amplifiers operate at high duty cycles in a small-satellite package, with tight temperature stability requirements driven by RF performance. You will own the in-house thermal simulation framework, extending its physics, validating it against test data, and using it to drive design decisions, while building, instrumenting, and testing flight hardware. You will define heat rejection architectures, design radiators and conduction paths, and run thermal vacuum campaigns, working closely with RF, electrical, mechanical, and systems engineers to make sure the hardware survives and performs on orbit.

As part of our fast growing engineering team, you will play a critical role in the design of the world's most advanced radar satellite constellation, built to improve humanity's ability to rapidly and comprehensively understand our changing planet.

Responsibilities

• Define spacecraft and payload thermal architecture, including radiator sizing and conduction paths from high-power RF components to space.

• Own, extend, and validate Array's in-house Python thermal simulation framework, and use it to drive design decisions.

• Support board- and component-level thermal design with electrical and RF engineers, including junction temperature and derating analysis.

• Design, build, and test thermal hardware: radiators, interface materials, coatings, MLI, heaters, and sensor instrumentation.

• Plan and execute thermal vacuum and thermal balance test campaigns, and correlate models against test and flight telemetry.

• Develop thermal requirements, interface control documentation, and verification plans with systems engineering.

Basic Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Mechanical or Aerospace Engineering, Physics, or a related STEM field.

• 3+ years of industry experience fielding hardware in thermally-constrained products.

• Strong coding proficiency, preferably in Python, with experience extending or developing engineering analysis tools rather than only using them.

• Hands-on experience building, instrumenting, and testing thermal hardware.

• Strong grounding in heat transfer fundamentals.

• Excellent teamwork and communication skills.

• Ability to work in a fast-paced, iterative design environment.

Preferred Skills & Experience

• Master's or Ph.D. in a related discipline.

• Experience with satellite thermal design and flight-proven hardware.

• Experience developing thermal or multiphysics simulation software: numerical methods, radiation view factors, transient solvers.

• Familiarity with software engineering practices: version control, testing, code review.

• Experience with thermal management of high-power RF electronics (GaN power amplifiers, phased arrays, high-dissipation boards).

• Familiarity with two-phase systems: heat pipes, loop heat pipes, or vapor chambers.

• Experience with commercial thermal tools (Thermal Desktop, SINDA/FLUINT, ANSYS) as a complement to in-house tooling.

Compensation & Benefits

Our hiring and compensation strategy is simple: We offer competitive salaries and meaningful equity. We want everyone here to have real ownership in what we're building.

Full-time employees also enjoy a comprehensive benefits package including the following: Health & Wellness

• Medical, dental, and vision insurance (including a fully employer-paid medical plan)
• Paid parental leave (12 weeks / 6 weeks)

Time Off

• 19 paid vacation days, 10 sick days, 11 company holidays

Financial

• 401(k) with employer match (100% match up to 3%, 50% match up to 5%)
• Commuter expenses (parking & transit)

Perks & Lifestyle

• Daily lunch stipend; Audible subscription; Claude Pro access; relocation support
• Hybrid work options & flexibility

We reserve the right to modify base pay and other compensation components. More details about our benefits are available to candidates during the hiring process.

Interview Process

We will conduct interviews via Google Meet, with the potential for an onsite visit to our office in Redwood City, CA. The typical interview process takes around 3 to 5 weeks.

Why Join Array

At Array Labs, deep technical expertise meets relentless impact. We prioritize curiosity over hierarchy and bold ideas over incremental gains. Our world-class team across hardware engineering, software, and aerospace works collaboratively to push boundaries.

Join industry-leading experts to build the future of radar and deliver unprecedented insights into the physical world.

ITAR Requirements

To conform to U.S. Government space technology export regulations, including the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR), you must be a U.S. citizen, lawful permanent resident of the U.S., protected individual as defined by 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3), or eligible to obtain the required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State.

Equal Opportunity Employer

Array Labs is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Employment decisions are made on the basis of merit, competence, and job qualifications without regard to gender, color, race, ethnicity, national origin, sexual orientation, religion, age, gender identity, veteran status, disability status, marital status, or any other legally protected status.

 
If you require a reasonable accommodation during the application or interview process, please contact us at accessibility@arraylabs.io.