Lead Aerothermal Engineer

Job description

The Role: Helogen is seeking a Lead Aerothermal Engineer in Los Angeles, California to design, develop, and deliver thermal systems for advanced spacecraft and reentry vehicles. You'll be joining a scrappy, highly collaborative team that includes a Lead Vehicle Design Engineer, a Systems Architect, a Chief Technology Officer, and two technicians. We value execution over perfection, clarity over complexity, and ownership over handholding. We move quickly, learn fast, and adapt as the company evolves. As our Lead Aerothermal Engineer, you'll own thermal and aerothermal design and analysis across spacecraft components, payloads, and reentry systems. You’ll select materials that balance thermal performance, mass, and cost, develop high-temperature systems, and support testing and qualification efforts to ensure our vehicles can withstand the extreme conditions of space. This role is ideal for a hands-on engineer who understands manufacturing constraints, can evaluate complex tradeoffs, and has deep technical expertise in thermal systems. As an early member of the team, you'll play a critical part in building the spacecraft and systems that will shape Helogen’s future. How You’ll Make An Impact: - Design and analyze the thermal management systems for satellite bus components, spacecraft subsystems, and payloads, and aerothermal systems for hypersonic reentry vehicles - Own CAD assemblies, heat and mass transfer analyses, material selection, thermal budgets, and component layouts - Partner with systems architects and design engineers to balance thermal requirements against vehicle-level demands, cost, and design constraints - Develop and evaluate thermal management materials and solutions, including radiators, coolant loops, heaters, heat exchangers, and insulation systems; select appropriate suppliers - Design thermal protection systems, heat shields, and advanced materials for high-temperature applications - Lead the assembly, integration, and testing of thermally sensitive hardware - Manage TVAC chambers and oversee thermal vacuum testing to validate hardware performance and reliability - Support arc jet testing and other environmental test activities to evaluate thermal protection systems and materials - Support the development of high-temperature systems, thermal protection approaches, thermal management solutions, and advanced material applications - Contribute to the development of new spacecraft, engineering processes, and testing capabilities What We're Looking For: - Requirements: - 7+ years of experience in spacecraft thermal management system design and analysis or hypersonic (Mach 25+) ballistic/lifting reentry vehicle heat shield design and analysis - 3+ years of hands-on experience with thermal vacuum (TVAC) testing, including test planning, setup, execution, and hardware qualification - Demonstrated experience with heat and mass transfer analysis - Confidence selecting materials and suppliers that meet requirements and budget - Experience designing and evaluating thermal management hardware, including radiators, coolant plates, heaters, heat exchangers, and insulation systems - Working knowledge of manufacturing processes for vacuum insulation, ablative materials, heaters, coolant plates, and heat exchangers - Ability to translate thermal requirements into practical hardware designs while balancing vehicle-level performance, mass, cost, and integration constraints - Demonstrated ownership of technical projects from concept through implementation - Flexible, positive, team builder willing to contribute where needed - Nice to have: - Familiarity with cold-chain technologies, including phase-change materials (PCM) and vacuum-jacketed systems - Experience planning or supporting arc jet testing and other high-temperature environmental testing - Prior work in rapid prototyping, iterative hardware development, and test-driven design cycles - Startup or fast-paced engineering environment experience Compensation: The salary range for this position is $195,000-$220,000 with equity offered. Qualified candidates must be based in Los Angeles, California or willing to relocate there. Benefits: - Unlimited PTO - Health, dental, vision and life insurance - 401(k) program - Membership to OneMedical - Be part of creating something new that will change the world Export Control Requirements Due to the nature of the work performed, applicants must be a U.S. Person as defined by U.S.* export control regulations or otherwise eligible to access export-controlled information and technology. *U.S. citizen, U.S. lawful permanent resident, or protected individual as defined by 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3) (i.e., individual admitted to the U.S. as a refugee or granted asylum in the U.S.)