Mechanical and Thermal Engineering Lead

ReOrbit is looking for a Head of Mechanical and Thermal Engineering to lead and direct the Mechanical and Thermal Engineering unit. In this role, you will drive a team responsible for the mechanical and thermal aspects of our spacecraft, overseeing the complete life cycle of structures, mechanisms and thermal control subsystems from initial architectural trade-offs to orbit delivery. As our Head of Mechanical and Thermal Engineering, you will lead a high performing team of engineers to solve complex thermo mechanical challenges, ensuring our satellites can survive the harsh environments of launch and space. You will act as a key technical authority, driving the engineering of mechanical and thermal subsystems together with the rest of the spacecraft subsystems, balancing mass, volume, and thermal margins against aggressive program timelines. Responsibilities - Be part of the team defining the mechanical and thermal architecture for next-generation satellite platforms, optimizing for mass, manufacturability (DFM), and integration speed (MAIT). - Drive technical execution through all major program gates (SRR, PDR, CDR, TRR) and ensure readiness for flight. - Proactively identify thermo-mechanical risks, including quasi-static analysis issues, thermo elastic problems, and thermal bottlenecks, and implement mitigation plans early in the design cycle. - Recruit, mentor, and retain a world-class team of mechanical designers, structural analysts, and thermal engineers. - Manage departmental budgets, software licenses (CAD/FEA), and resource allocation across multiple concurrent missions. - Standardize engineering workflows, including PDM/PLM implementation, analysis automation, and test data correlation processes. - Supervise complex Finite Element Analysis (FEA) and thermal analysis campaigns to verify margins of safety for quasi-static, random vibration, shock, and thermo-elastic loads. - Oversee the definition and execution of qualification campaigns, including vibration, acoustic, shock, and Thermal Vacuum (TVAC) testing. - Contribute to make vs. buy trade studies and supervise technical relationships with external vendors for composite structures, thermal hardware such as MLI and heat pipes and mechanisms. Skills and Requirements - Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering, Space Engineering oriented on Mechanical Engineering, or Physics is required. - An advanced degree such as a Master’s or PhD focusing on thermo-mechanical engineering or space systems is preferred. - More than 10 years of direct experience in the space industry, including satellite, launch vehicle, or lander programs, working with satellites of at least 300 kg mass. - At least 5 years of experience managing engineering teams with a proven track record of delivering flight hardware on schedule. - Deep understanding of spacecraft primary and secondary structures, kinematics and mechanisms, and passive and active thermal control systems. - Proficiency with structural analysis tools such as FEMAP, NASTRAN, ANSYS, or HyperMesh. - Proficiency with thermal modeling tools such as ANSYS, Thermica, or ESATAN. - Familiarity with CAD tools including Siemens NX, CATIA, or SolidWorks, and PLM systems such as Teamcenter or Windchill. - Working knowledge of relevant NASA and ECSS standards.