Senior Thermal Analyst

Astra’s mission is to improve life on Earth from space by creating a healthier and more connected planet. Today, Astra offers one of the lowest cost-per-launch dedicated orbital launch services, and one of the industry’s leading flight-proven electric propulsion systems for satellites, the Astra Spacecraft Engine.

The Opportunity 

As a Senior Thermal Analyst, you will be our resident expert developing thermal models, fluid system models, performing vehicle thermal analyses, performing flight data analysis and predictions, and improving test and analysis methodologies. You will be our point of contact for contracted analyses, and we will rely on you to set the standards for analyses techniques.

How You'll Fulfill Your Mission

• Responsible for thermal design, analysis and test of spacecraft and space components mounted internal and external to the spacecraft bus.
• Support architectural trades & parametric analyses using first order principles and preliminary thermal analysis on spacecraft and subsystems for orbital conditions and vehicle operating modes.
• Develop automated scripts enabling rapid analysis updates accommodating trades (operational modes, duty cycles, structural distortion mapping).
• Design, analyze and select thermal hardware such as: heat pipes, multi-layer insulation, surface finishes and interface materials as needed for bus and payload components.
• Identify and procure materials, processes, and facilities necessary to deliver a qualified spacecraft thermal system and components.
• Define and execute test setups for thermal cycling and TVAC tests for development and qualification testing at subsystem and vehicle level, and correlate test results with mission operations models.
• Develop standards to be used on thermal analyses; define tools & acceptable post-processing methods.
• Correlate system models to test data and provide the test & operations team with test sequences and other guidance about safe product operations.
• Improve the existing analytical capabilities, processes, and tools.
• Help design tests, guide instrumentation selection & location to validate and refine models.
• Develop, document, & present the load cases and results in a clear, concise manner so that they can correlate to past analyses as well as inform future analyses.
• Own and report on subsystem schedule, cost, and deliverables.

Why We Value You

• 3+ years' professional experience with thermal analysis in space applications.
• Demonstrated experience with thermal analysis software (Siemens, Thermal Desktop, SINDA/FLUINT)
• 2+ years of experience with thermal cycling / TVAC test planning, test set-up, results correlation, and system verification
• 2+ years of experience in development and/or selection of thermal control hardware, such as: surface finishes, interface materials, MLI blankets, heat pipes, radiators, temperature sensors, and heaters
• You are comfortable with data processing tools ranging from Excel to custom scripts built with VBA, Python, MATLAB, etc.
• You have a strong understanding of commonly used materials & their thermal/mechanical behavior
• You have demonstrated ability of working with design engineers symbiotically to create efficient designs that satisfy broad requirements
• You have shown familiarity with anchoring models to test data
• You own analysis projects from beginning to end, with minimal oversight
• You are self-motivated with strong organizational, communication and documentation skills
• Bachelor’s degree in in Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or related technical discipline

Desired Multipliers 

• Advanced degree (Master’s or PhD) in Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or related technical discipline
• 5+ years of industry experience with space thermal engineering
• Experience developing hardware and spacecraft that have been to space, and which successfully operated as intended
• Experience with interpreting and correlating data from on–orbit telemetry
• Experience with mechanical CAD (NX or similar) and PLM (Teamcenter or similar)

The pay range for this role is: $130,000 - $165,000 per year

The stated compensation range reflects only the targeted base salary range in the San Francisco Bay Area and excludes additional earnings such as bonus and benefits. If your salary requirements fall outside of the range, we still encourage you to apply.

You do not need to match every listed expectation to apply for this position. Here at Astra, we know that diverse perspectives foster the innovation we need to be successful, and we are committed to building a team that encompasses a variety of backgrounds, experiences, and skills.

San Francisco Applicants: Astra will consider applicants with arrest and conviction records (criminal histories) in a manner consistent with the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance.

ITAR Requirements: This position requires compliance with U.S. Government space technology  trade restrictions, specifically the International Trafficking in Arms Regulations (ITAR), Export Administration Regulations (EAR) and additional regulations governing satellite, launch vehicle, missile, and other related technologies. All jobs restricted by these regulations will be contingent upon the applicant’s status as a documented U.S. Person or their ability to receive a trade license from the cognizant government agency; in addition to any required company background checks and in compliance with applicable U.S. and California laws. Similarly, positions requiring the ability to work on government contracts or a security clearance are also contingent upon the applicants ability to receive the appropriate clearance and be allowed to work on U.S. government contracts.

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