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Thermal Engineer – Foster City

SWISSto12 is one of the world’s fastest-growing aerospace companies, evolving from its pioneering use of 3D printing technologies for high-performance Radio Frequency (RF) products and applications to recently announcing the manufacture of entire geostationary telecom satellites, called HummingSat, that define a new category in space.

SWISSto12 is a leading provider of Radio-Frequency (RF) products and sub-systems for aerospace applications. The company’s patented 3D printing technologies and associated product designs are unique to deliver lightweight, compact, highly performing, and competitive RF products.

SWISSto12 is also providing the HummingSat as the world’s first commercial telecom GEO SmallSat developed in collaboration with the European Space Agency (ESA). Its uniquely compact size combined with highly capable telecom payloads allows telecommunications operators to deploy a cost-efficient, compact, and agile asset without sacrificing performance or security. HummingSat has recently been selected by Inmarsat to build three I-8 satellites and in 2022 by Intelsat to build the I-45 satellite.

As a Thermal Engineer, you will be responsible for the following functions:

  • Responsible for thermal engineering for RF products, payloads, and integration of those onto telecom satellites, working within the SWISSto12 team and with external partners and suppliers. 
  • Thermal design and accommodation on the SWISSto12 HummingSat missions. 
  • Drive satellite and product thermal systems definition, design, analysis, test, and validation. 
  • Ensure the system is fit for its intended purpose and drive technical trade-offs. 
  • Responsible for the full lifecycle product development, from thermal requirements analysis to manufacturing support. 
  • Design and develop solutions addressing the system requirements. Optimise the design of parts as necessary to ensure thermal control. 
  • Define and perform thermal analysis and test procedures to verify the designs. 
  • Lead thermal aspects of development and qualification programs phase. 
  • Develop and generate design justifications. 
  • Develop relationships with RF product, platform and spacecraft subsystem suppliers and partners. Work with them to Design, Manufacture, Assemble, Integrate and Test such subsystems. Contribute to SoWs and specifications, work alongside program management team to monitor execution of activities, contribute to problem solving, ensure successful delivery of these activities.
  • Support thermal aspects of proposals.
  • Collaborate with technical staff, program managers and executive management to develop and implement current and long-term technical, schedule, quality, business and financial objectives relevant to the thermal aspects of satellite payloads or program efforts.
  • Be exposed to responsibility for decisions that have an extended impact.
  • Occasionally, you will be asked to participate in overall tasks and services inherent to a dynamic fast-growing company.

Required experience and competencies:

  • Customer focused, must be able to work on a self-initiated basis and in a team environment.
  • University degree in Thermal Engineering or Physics or equivalent.
  • At least 5 years of experience in a thermal engineering position.
  • Understanding of thermal requirements for GEO telecom satellite missions, used to interact with payload and RF equipment teams.
  • Proficiency with CAD software and relevant system modelling and analysis tools.
  • Knowledge of integration of spaceborne antenna systems and related payload RF equipment as well as active antennas is not mandatory but is a plus.
  • Knowledge of spacecraft thermal control subsystems for communication payloads.
  • Ability of assessing, from thermal point of view, RFIs and RFQs from customers.
  • Ability of writing RFIs and RFQs for subcontractors.
  • Demonstrated experience in Finite Element Analysis.
  • Experience in following (or performing) qualification of spaceborne equipment.
  • Demonstrated experience in materials and manufacturing processes for spaceborne products (for antennas is a plus). Knowledge of Additive Manufacturing for space applications is also a plus.
  • Experience with managing customer and supplier interfaces.
  • Ability to “think outside of the box” and thrive in an often-ambiguous trade-space.
  • Demonstrated ability to write clear technical documentation of high quality.
  • Autonomous and proactive working style with excellent working organisation and ethics.
  • Communicating effectively, excellent relational skills and ability to work in a team with different professional and cultural backgrounds.
  • Language: Fluent English is a prerequisite.

Working conditions and contract:
SWISSto12 offers a full-time contract based in our Foster City, California office.

Interested applicants are requested to apply through LinkedIn

More about SWISSto12:
SWISSto12 has successfully established contracts with Inmarsat/ViaSat, Intelsat and ESA for HummingSat as well as contracts for their RF product line in Europe and the US with prominent partners and customers such as Thales, Lockheed Martin, and the ESA. SWISSto12 is a spin off from the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne (EPFL), is privately owned and backed by prominent Swiss and European Investors. SWISSto12 is headquartered in Lausanne, Switzerland, and operates a US-subsidiary in Foster City California. The company is well funded for its near and mid-term developments and backed by a solid customer revenue stream.