Senior Spacecraft Thermal Engineer / Senior Spacecraft Thermal Engineeress

Senior Spacecraft Thermal Engineer

80%-100%, Zurich, fixed-term

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.

Project Background

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.

Part of this role 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 time-varying conditions.

Additionally, the Thermal Engineer will support a broad range of ongoing and future ETH Zurich space missions across diverse thermal environments, from Low Earth Orbit (LEO) to deep space and from CubeSats to large space observatories. Experience contributing to thermo-mechanical concepts from early mission definition phases is highly valued.

Job Description

ETH Zurich | Space is seeking an experienced Thermal Engineer to join our technical team. In this role, you will be responsible for the thermal design, analysis, modeling, validation, and verification of spaceborne platforms, including robotic platforms, 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, including extreme temperature environments. You will define, size, and select passive and active thermal hardware considering Size, Weight, and Power (SWaP) and Commercial Off-The-Shelf (COTS) aspects depending on the mission parameters.

Your Responsibilities

• Develop and implement thermal designs for spacecraft systems, including robotic platforms.
• Perform thermal analyses, including transient and steady-state modeling using industry-standard software (e.g., Systema-Thermica, SINDA/FLUINT, Ansys, Thermal Desktop, ESATAN-TMS), with emphasis on moving components and variable heat loads.
• Define and supervise thermal testing campaigns, including thermal vacuum (TVAC), Thermal Balance (TV/TB), and hardware verification tests.
• Develop and maintain thermal models of spaceborne platforms or thermal control technologies, correlating them with test data for validation.
• Establish thermal control hardware requirements, such as radiators, heat pipes, thermal switches, heaters, insulation, and coatings.
• Work closely with mechanical, systems, and payload engineers to ensure integrated spacecraft thermal management and compliance.
• Define and manage thermal interface requirements and constraints across subsystems, including mechanical, avionics, and payload interfaces.
• Perform trade studies balancing performance, reliability, mass, and power budgets for active and passive thermal solutions.
• Support test data reduction, validation of models, and correlation with flight hardware behavior.
• Collaborate with manufacturing and operations to support development, integration, test, launch, and on-orbit commissioning.
• Provide on-orbit or mission support, including anomaly resolution and telemetry evaluation.

Profile

We are looking for someone with:

• 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 interfaces, and testing of flight or flight-representative hardware.
• An 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.

Candidates who do not completely fulfill the mentioned skills are also encouraged to apply.

Additionally, the following characteristics are a plus:

• 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.

Workplace

You will be working in a dynamic, international, and interdisciplinary environment at one of the world’s leading technical universities, collaborating with a motivated team that shares a passion for space and innovation.

We Offer

• A dynamic, international, and interdisciplinary work environment at one of the world’s leading technical universities.
• A motivated team sharing a passion for space and innovation.
• The opportunity to contribute to space missions from early concept to flight.

We Value Diversity and Sustainability

In line with our values, ETH Zurich encourages an inclusive culture. We promote equality of opportunity, value diversity, and nurture a working and learning environment in which the rights and dignity of all our staff and students are respected. Sustainability is a core value for us - we are consistently working towards a climate-neutral future.

Curious? So Are We.

We look forward to receiving your application by Sun. 29 March 2026 with:

• Your CV
• Job references (if available) and diplomas
• A short, maximum 90-second video about yourself and your motivation for this position.

Apply online using the form below. Please note that only applications matching the job profile will be considered.

About ETH Zurich

ETH Zurich is one of the world’s leading universities specializing in science and technology. We are renowned for our excellent education, cutting-edge fundamental research, and the direct transfer of new knowledge into society. Over 30,000 people from more than 120 countries find our university to be a place that promotes independent thinking and an environment that inspires excellence. Located in the heart of Europe, yet forging connections all over the world, we work together to develop solutions for the global challenges of today and tomorrow.