Join ETH Zurich | Space as a Thermal Engineer
ETH Zurich | Space is dedicated to advancing space activities both within ETH and in collaboration with external stakeholders. Our mission is to position ETH Zurich as Europe’s leading institution in space research and education, while also being recognized as a premier partner for space-related projects within Switzerland and globally. Founded in 2022, ETH Zurich | Space has been under the leadership of Prof. Dr. Thomas Zurbuchen since 2023. We are committed to driving technological advancements, shaping future policies, and inspiring the next generation of space scientists and engineers.
This position is offered as a fixed-term appointment for an initial period of two years, with the possibility of extension.
The objective of this initiative is to establish and grow a centralized pool of space engineering expertise within ETH Zurich | Space. This pool will support ETH Zurich-led space projects and technology programs, strengthening ETH Zurich’s role as a key contributor to the Swiss and international space ecosystem.
As part of this role, you will contribute to LunarLeaper, an ETH Zurich–led mission concept exploring innovative mobility strategies for the lunar surface. LunarLeaper provides a challenging environment for advancing thermal control of mobile robotic systems under extreme and varying conditions.
ETH Zurich | Space is seeking an experienced Thermal Engineer to join our technical team. In this role, you will be responsible for thermal design, analysis and modeling, validation, and verification of spaceborne platforms, including robotic systems used in space flight missions and operations.
You will work closely with scientists, engineers, system architects, and mission teams to ensure robust and reliable thermal control that enables systems to operate effectively under the demanding conditions of space. Your tasks will include:
- Developing and implementing thermal designs for spacecraft systems, including robotic platforms
- Performing thermal analyses, including transient and steady-state modeling using industry-standard software (e.g., Systema-Thermica, SINDA/FLUINT, Ansys, Thermal Desktop, ESATAN-TMS) with an emphasis on moving components and variable heat loads
- Defining and supervising thermal testing campaigns, including thermal vacuum (TVAC), Thermal Balance (TV/TB), and hardware verification tests
- Developing and maintaining thermal models of spaceborne platforms or thermal control technologies, correlating with test data for validation
- Establishing thermal control hardware requirements, such as radiators, heat pipes, thermal switches, heaters, insulation, and coatings
- Collaborating with mechanical, systems, and payload engineers to ensure integrated spacecraft thermal management and compliance
- Defining and managing thermal interface requirements and constraints across subsystems
- Performing trade studies balancing performance, reliability, mass, and power budgets for active and passive thermal solutions
- Supporting test data reduction, validation of models, and correlation with flight hardware behavior
- Collaborating with manufacturing and operations to support development, integration, test, launch, and on-orbit commissioning
- Providing on-orbit or mission support, including anomaly resolution and telemetry evaluation
Qualifications
We are looking for candidates with the following qualifications:
- Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Aerospace Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or a related field
- 5+ years of professional experience in sub-systems, spacecraft or planetary thermal engineering, including thermal design and analysis, definition of thermal requirements and interfaces, and testing of flight or flight-representative hardware
- In-depth understanding of space thermal engineering principles (conduction, radiation, thermal transients, fluidics) and thermal requirements for space systems
- Proficiency in thermal analysis tools such as Thermal Desktop, ESATAN-TMS, Systema-Thermica, or similar software
- Strong problem-solving skills and a hands-on engineering mindset
- Excellent teamwork and communication skills in a multidisciplinary and multicultural environment
- Familiarity with state-of-the-art thermal technologies and approaches for spaceflight
Additionally, the following characteristics are a plus:
- Experience with robotic subsystems, particularly mechanisms, actuators, and sensors
- Skills in mechanical engineering or structural analysis, with experience in assessing launch and thermo-mechanical coupling
- Familiarity with ECSS standards and related spacecraft thermal and mechanical design practices
- Hands-on experience with thermal hardware prototyping, assembly, integration, and testing
- Demonstrated experience in spacecraft thermal testing campaigns
What We Offer
Join a dynamic, international, and interdisciplinary work environment at one of the world’s leading technical universities. You'll be part of a motivated team sharing a passion for space and innovation, with the opportunity to contribute to space missions from early concepts to flight.
Apply online using the form below. Please note that only applications matching the job profile will be considered.
Further Information
For more details about our department, visit our website. For questions regarding the position, please contact Florian Kehl (florian.kehl@eaps.ethz.ch).