Join ETH Zurich | Space as a Thermal Engineer
ETH Zurich | Space is committed to advancing space activities, both within ETH and in cooperation with external stakeholders. Our mission is to establish ETH Zurich as Europe's leading institution in space research and education, while also being recognized as a premier partner for space-related projects in Switzerland and globally. Founded in 2022 and under the leadership of Prof. Dr. Thomas Zurbuchen since 2023, we are dedicated 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 our 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 focused on exploring innovative mobility strategies for the lunar surface. LunarLeaper presents a challenging environment for advancing thermal control of mobile robotic systems under extreme and dynamic conditions.
Your Role and Responsibilities
We are seeking an experienced Thermal Engineer to join our technical team. In this role, you will be responsible for:
- 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 a focus 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.
- Working closely 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, testing, launch, and on-orbit commissioning.
- Providing on-orbit or mission support, including anomaly resolution and telemetry evaluation.
Your Profile
We are looking for candidates with the following qualifications:
- A 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 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.
Additional characteristics that are a plus include:
- Experience with robotic subsystems, particularly mechanisms, actuators, and sensors, and their unique thermal challenges.
- Skills in mechanical engineering or structural analysis, with experience assessing launch and thermo-mechanical coupling, loads, or deformation effects in space hardware.
- 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
Working at ETH Zurich | Space means being part of a dynamic, international, and interdisciplinary environment at one of the world's leading technical universities. You'll join a motivated team that shares a passion for space and innovation and have the opportunity to contribute to space missions from early concept to flight.
How to Apply
If you are interested in this position, please apply online using the form below. Only applications matching the job profile will be considered.
We look forward to receiving your application by Sun. 29 March 2026, including:
- Your CV
- Job references (if available) and diplomas
- A short video (maximum 90 seconds) introducing yourself and your motivation for this position
Please note that we exclusively accept applications submitted through our online application portal. Applications via email or postal services will not be considered.
For further information about our department, please visit our website. Questions regarding the position can be directed to Florian Kehl at florian.kehl@eaps.ethz.ch (no applications).
For recruitment services, the GTC of ETH Zurich apply.