Thermal Engineer, Mission Electronics

Costa Mesa · Costa Mesa, CA (OC-00) · USD 129,000-171,000 · 2-4 years experience · Full-time · Posted Sep 25, 2026

At a glance

The Thermal Engineer will own the thermal architecture and design of electronic assemblies for a diverse range of products, including air vehicles, maritime systems, ground systems, and wearables.
This role involves applying first principles to thermal design, conducting analysis, and executing testing to ensure hardware reliability in demanding operational environments.

Own thermal design and analysis from component level to full assemblies.
Execute hand calculations and first-order models using MATLAB or Python.
Define thermal architecture and heat-rejection paths including conduction, convection, and thermal interface materials.
Establish operating conditions based on industry standards and environmental factors like altitude, salt fog, and solar load.
Collaborate with electrical, mechanical, and systems engineers to characterize component power dissipation.
Drive trade studies balancing thermal margin against size, weight, and power (SWaP).
Own thermal FEA/CFD models and define design limits for testing and operation.
Execute prototype builds and thermal tests, including sensor selection and data acquisition.
Present thermal status at internal and customer reviews.
Develop internal tools and support failure root-cause analysis.

MS or higher degree in mechanical engineering, aerospace engineering, applied physics, or related field (BS with additional experience considered).
In-depth understanding of heat transfer and fluid dynamics fundamentals.
2-4 years of experience in thermal design, analysis, or testing for electronics or integrated hardware.
Familiarity with electronics cooling concepts such as TIMs, heat sinks, heat pipes, and cold plates.
Exposure to thermal testing including sensor selection and data post-processing.
Experience with at least one thermal FEA/CFD tool (STAR-CCM+, ANSYS, Icepak, FloEFD, or COMSOL).
CAD experience with Siemens NX, SolidWorks, or equivalent.
Passion for defending the United States and her allies.
Ability to obtain and hold a U.S. Top Secret security clearance.

Experience developing code in Python or MATLAB for thermal analysis.
Exposure to thermal design across multiple product classes.
Familiarity with defense/aerospace environmental standards like MIL-STD-810.
Familiarity with thermal derating of electronic components.
Exposure to active cooling approaches such as fans, TECs, liquid cooling, or two-phase systems.
Experience with thermal architecture trade studies balancing thermal margin against SWaP constraints.

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