Senior Thermal System Engineer

Role highlights:

Senior Thermal System Engineer

Location: Valencia, Spain

Department: Space Systems

Reports to: Mechanical Engineer Lead

Employment type: Permanent

Workplace model: Hybrid / Office

Employment is subject to applicable security screening (incl. SUPO)

Why this role matters:

Every ICEYE satellite depends on precision engineering and rock-solid reliability. As we grow our operations and our spacecraft platforms to meet increasingly demanding mission requirements, we need an experienced spacecraft thermal control engineer to help lead this effort - someone who also brings hands-on experience testing, verifying, and qualifying space hardware. You'll join our Espoo, Finland team as a Senior Thermal System Engineer, supporting the company's continued growth.

Who We Are

ICEYE is the world leader in sovereign intelligence from space. We deliver persistent monitoring capabilities to detect and respond to changes in any location on Earth.

ICEYE owns the world's largest and most advanced SAR (synthetic aperture radar) satellite constellation. To our customers we provide intelligence with unmatched quality, latency and revisit times, in any weather, day or night. To governments who choose to operate their own constellation we provide this proven capability as a sovereign system.

ICEYE-built constellations serve customers in defence and intelligence, environmental monitoring, insurance and emergency management. We enable fast decisions that contribute to a safer future.

Founded and headquartered in Finland, ICEYE operates globally with over 1000 employees across Europe, North America, the Middle East, and Asia-Pacific.

Your day-to-day responsibilities

Design and implement full spacecraft-level thermal models for current and next-generation spacecraft

Specify and support qualification testing at subsystem and system level

Own thermal hardware end-to-end: propose new thermal design concepts to improve performance, identify new suppliers, and test and validate component designs

Perform thermal analysis of passive and active thermal control components, electrical assemblies, subsystems, and systems

Support assembly, integration, and test (AIT) activities, including maintenance of thermal control components

Support operations teams in resolving thermal issues during Launch and Early Orbit Operations (LEOP) and beyond

Ensure smooth, on-time product delivery from concept through qualification

Contribute to continuous improvement of our existing products

Partner closely with all hardware engineering domains, AIT engineering, and QA to ensure products meet specification

Work with system and subsystem engineers to define requirements for new products

Collaborate with internal and external engineering and AIT teams during integration and build to confirm thermal solutions meet requirements and targets

What we’re looking for

Must haves:

6+ years of experience in thermal simulation as a Thermal Engineer in the space industry

Experience with TVAC testing and model correlation

Proactive, self-directed working style

Strong troubleshooting and analytical skills

Based in Espoo (most of the team works from Finland); up to 30% remote work is acceptable for this role

Experience working in multi-disciplinary environments (electrical, AIT, mechanical, propulsion, RF)

Experience with thermal control of satellites at system and subsystem level, or comparable complex aerospace systems

Comfortable working cross-functionally with systems, electrical, and manufacturing teams

Strong teamwork, analytical, documentation, and communication skills

Nice to haves:

Hands-on experience with spacecraft thermal hardware: surface treatments, MLI, passive and active thermal control components, heat pipes

Experience with Systema-Thermica, ESATAN, and/or Thermal Desktop

MSc in Aerospace Engineering

Knowledge of SAR satellite technology, lifecycles, and the space environment

Experience with Python

Familiarity with industry standards such as ECSS and NASA standards

Solid understanding of spacecraft configurations, orbits, and STK

Application Process

Recruiter screening

Hiring manager interview

Technical task

Technical panel interview

Director interview

Working at ICEYE

At ICEYE, you’ll join a diverse and highly engaged team united by the ambition to make the impossible possible. As a global scale-up, we combine speed and ambition with the opportunity to take real ownership from day one. Your growth, wellbeing, and success are a priority, with continuous professional development, training opportunities, and a culture where collaboration is how we win.

How We Work (Our Values)

Make the impossible possible: We set ambitious goals and stay calm under pressure. We bring grit, optimism, and ownership when things get hard, and we keep moving until we find a way.

Be curious: Go deep, ask questions, listen carefully, and think critically. Understand the “why” behind decisions.

See the big picture: Stay close to what’s happening across the company so you can make better decisions. Consider how your work affects others.

Drive effective teamwork: Create psychological safety, invite different perspectives, and build inclusive teams. There are no bad questions.

Act as one team: We win together. We match tasks to the right owner and stay agile as priorities shift.

Have fun: What we do matters - and it should be enjoyable. Celebrate progress, take pride in results, and share the wins.

Benefits

Our benefits are designed to support your health and wellbeing, at work and beyond. We keep improving them based on employee feedback, and offerings vary by location. Talent Acquisition will confirm what applies for this role and location during the process.

Our Commitment to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

We want ICEYE to be a place where people can be themselves and do great work. Different backgrounds and perspectives make us stronger, which is why we work to create an environment where people feel included, respected, and able to speak up. Whatever your background, we want you to bring your authentic self to the table.

We’re committed to fair, inclusive hiring and equal opportunity. Everyone is welcome to apply. If you need any adjustments or support during the recruitment process, tell us - we’ll do our best to help.