Senior Thermal Engineer

Join Our Mission to the Moon

Join ispace EUROPE - Pioneering Lunar Exploration from Luxembourg

With locations in Japan, Luxembourg, and the US, ispace is a global leader in lunar exploration. Our European branch, based in Luxembourg, is uniquely positioned at the heart of rover design, development, and operations.

We’re building the foundations of a sustainable lunar economy - and expanding humanity’s reach beyond Earth.

At ispace EU, engineers, business experts, and creatives work side by side to turn bold ideas into reality, driven by our mission: “Expand our Planet, Expand our Future.”

TITLE: Senior Thermal Engineer

LOCATION: Luxembourg

ABOUT THE ROLE

As a Senior Thermal Engineer, you will play a pivotal role in ensuring our spacecraft systems can thrive in the harsh conditions of space. You will design, analyze, and verify thermal control solutions that keep critical hardware within safe operating limits during every mission phase. Based in Luxembourg, this role works closely with cross-disciplinary teams in mechanical, electrical, and systems engineering, directly contributing to ispace’s vision of enabling sustainable lunar exploration. Your expertise will help transform innovative rover designs into reliable spaceflight hardware that can survive and succeed on the Moon.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

• Lead the design, development, and verification of spacecraft thermal control systems, including radiators, heaters, MLI, coatings, and thermal straps.
• Develop, maintain, and review detailed thermal models using industry-standard tools (e.g., Thermal Desktop, ESATAN).
• Define and execute thermal analyses across mission phases-launch, cruise, lunar orbit, and surface operations-and correlate analytical models with test results.
• Plan and oversee component- and system-level thermal vacuum testing (TVAC), including test setup definition, data analysis, and reporting.
• Work closely with mechanical, electrical, and systems engineering teams to integrate thermal requirements and constraints into overall spacecraft design.
• Prepare and review high-quality technical documentation, including analysis reports, thermal verification plans, and interface control documentation.
• Identify thermal risks early in the lifecycle, propose mitigation strategies, and drive design trade studies to closure.
• Contribute to design reviews, technical decision-making, and continuous improvement initiatives across missions.

KEY REQUIREMENTS

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Aerospace Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Physics, or a related field.
• 5-8+ years of experience in spacecraft thermal design, analysis, and testing.
• Proven expertise with thermal analysis tools (Thermal Desktop preferred, ESATAN acceptable) and proficiency in 0D/1D thermal network modeling.
• Strong understanding of both active and passive thermal control systems for spacecraft and surface vehicles.
• Hands-on experience with space-relevant thermal testing, including TVAC and correlation activities.
• Demonstrated ability to lead thermal design efforts within multidisciplinary project teams.
• Excellent communication and documentation skills in English.
• Proactive, adaptable, and comfortable driving progress in a fast-paced, high-stakes engineering environment.