Thermal Engineer

Our mission is supported by an ambitious vertically integrated approach: design & manufacture of small satellites combined with development of earth observation services.

Since its creation in 2018, the company has already grown substantially. Our team gathers more than 25 engineering expertise, from hardware design to software development & data science.

In 2026, Aerospacelab counts offices in Louvain-la-Neuve (Belgium), Toulouse (France), Lausanne (Switzerland) and US West Coast with more than 500 full-time employees, with the ambition to position itself as the European leader in small satellites.

Role overview

As a Thermal Engineer at Aerospacelab, youwill play a critical role in designing and implementing thermal controlsolutions for satellites across various missions. Utilizing your expertise inthermal engineering, you will be key in ensuring that all components remainwithin their operational temperature ranges throughout their missions.Collaborating with multidisciplinary teams, you will guide the thermal designfrom concept through launch, focusing on thermal stability and performance.

Keyactivities

• Perform thermal analyses ofsatellites and subsystems
• Develop and maintain thermalmodels at satellite and subsystem level.
• Contribute to the design andsizing of thermal control hardware
• Support the definition ofthermal interface requirements for units and payloads.
• Support thermal balance andthermal vacuum test campaigns, including test predictions, test follow-up, andpost-test data processing.
• Contribute to thermal modelcorrelation using test and in-flight data.
• Provide thermal input tohardware and mechanical teams during design iterations.
• Prepare technical documentation
• Interact with suppliersregarding thermal data, models, and interface aspects.
• Develop scripts and tools toautomate repetitive tasks and streamline the thermal analysis workflow.

Must have

• MSc degree in MechanicalEngineering, Aerospace Engineering, Physics, or a related field.
• Experience in satellite thermaldesign and analysis. Relevant spacecraft-focused thesis or internshipexperience is considered.
• Experience with a thermalanalysis tool such as Systema-Thermica, ESATAN-TMS, Thermal Desktop, orsimilar.
• Good understanding of heattransfer fundamentals (conduction, radiation, convection) and the space thermalenvironment.
• Good communication skills, teamspirit, and a proactive mindset.
• Fluency in English.

Nice to have

• Enthusiasm for automating tasksand streamlining workflows, with scripting skills (Python).
• Experience with FEM-basedthermal analysis (e.g. Simcenter 3D / NX Thermal).
• Familiaritywith relevant standards (ECSS, NASA)
• Hands-on experience withthermal or thermal vacuum testing.

What we offer

Build your own career path

Direct impact on the growth of the company

Fast-paced environment

Flexible ways of working

Salary package consistent with your experience