The posting
ROLE HIGHLIGHTS:
- Junior / Mid-level Thermal Engineer
- Location: Espoo, Finland
- Department: Spacecraft Hardware
- Reports to: Thermal System Engineer Team Lead
- Employment type: Permanent
- Workplace model: Hybrid / Office
- Employment is subject to applicable security screening (incl. SUPO, where required)
THE MISSION OF THE JUNIOR / MID-LEVEL THERMAL ENGINEER
In this role, you will join ICEYE’s Thermal Engineering team and contribute to the thermal analysis, design, and testing of spacecraft. You will work alongside experienced engineers, build your practical engineering skills, and take on increasing responsibility as you learn.
We welcome recent graduates. Previous professional experience is not required: we are looking for sound engineering fundamentals, curiosity, a willingness to learn, and someone who shares the values described below.
You will help prepare thermal models and analysis reports, support thermal test activities, and use test data to understand spacecraft thermal performance. There may also be opportunities to improve data processing and engineering workflows through scripting, automation, or AI tools.
WHO WE ARE
ICEYE delivers space-based intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) capabilities to governments and allied nations. This includes sovereign and turnkey ISR missions leveraging ICEYE’s synthetic aperture radar (SAR) satellite technology, as well as access to data from the world’s largest SAR satellite constellation. These capabilities enable partners to detect and respond to critical changes anywhere on Earth with unprecedented speed and accuracy – day or night and in any weather.
Designed for dual use, our platform also serves civil protection and commercial users for natural-catastrophe intelligence, insurance, maritime monitoring (including oil-spill detection), and finance, contributing to global security and community resilience.
ICEYE operates internationally with offices in Finland, Poland, Spain, Japan, the UAE, Greece, and the US, and has hundreds of employees inspired by a shared vision: improving life on Earth by becoming the global source of truth in Earth Observation.
EXPECTED OUTCOMES
As you develop in the role, we expect you to:
- Contribute to thermal analyses and clearly document assumptions, methods, and results, with guidance and review from experienced engineers.
- Support the preparation and execution of thermal tests, and help turn test data into useful engineering findings.
- Help compare model predictions with test results and support thermal model correlation.
- Produce clear, traceable engineering documentation and gradually take ownership of agreed tasks.
ROLE SPECIFIC RESPONSIBILITIES
Working with the Thermal Engineering team, you will:
- Help build and maintain spacecraft thermal models and run analyses under the guidance of experienced engineers.
- Assist with assessing thermal design options and checking performance against requirements.
- Support the preparation of thermal vacuum (TVAC), thermal cycling, and thermal balance test procedures and reports.
- Help process analysis results and test telemetry, generate plots and tables, and investigate differences between predictions and measurements.
- Document analysis cases, assumptions, results, and model correlation work so that findings can be reviewed and traced to source data.
- Collaborate with engineers across disciplines and identify opportunities to improve thermal engineering workflows.
REQUIREMENTS FOR JUNIOR POSITION
You are likely a good fit if you:
- Have a bachelor’s or master’s degree in mechanical engineering, Aerospace Engineering, Physics, or a related field, with a foundation in thermodynamics and heat transfer is preferred but not needed it.
- Can apply engineering fundamentals to problems, explain your reasoning, and work carefully with technical data.
- Are interested in spacecraft thermal engineering and willing to learn the team’s analysis and test tools.
- Communicate clearly, collaborate constructively, and share the values described in How We Work Together.
No previous employment, internship, or spacecraft engineering experience is required. Coursework and university projects can demonstrate your skills and approach.
NICE TO HAVE FOR JUNIOR POSITION
- Experience from employment, internships, university projects, or personal projects involving thermal analysis, thermal design, testing, or spacecraft engineering.
- Familiarity with thermal modelling software, engineering data processing, or scripting such as Python.
- Exposure to AI tools or automation, and an interest in applying them responsibly to engineering workflows.
REQUIREMENT FOR MID-LEVEL POSITION
- Have a bachelor’s or master’s degree in mechanical engineering, Aerospace Engineering, Physics, or a related field, with a foundation in thermodynamics and heat transfer is preferred but not needed it.
- At least two years of experience as a space thermal engineer.
- Experience in thermal simulation as a Thermal Engineer in the space industry.
- Proactive, self-directed working style.
- Strong troubleshooting and analytical skills.
- Experience working in multi-disciplinary environments (electrical, AIT, mechanical, propulsion, RF).
- Comfortable working cross-functionally with systems, electrical, and manufacturing teams.
- Teamwork, analytical, documentation, and communication skills.
NICE TO HAVE FOR MID-LEVEL POSITION
- Hands-on experience with spacecraft thermal hardware.
- Experience with Systema-Thermica or ESATAN.
- MSc in Aerospace Engineering.
- Experience with Python.
- Familiarity with industry standards such as ECSS and NASA standards.
HOW WE WORK TOGETHER
In addition to role-specific skills, we evaluate candidates on the following qualities:
- Intellectual Firepower: You can quickly grasp and structure complex technical information, draw sound conclusions, and communicate them clearly.
- Passion & Work Ethic: You bring sustained motivation, resilience, and high standards to your work.
- Ownership & Action: You take responsibility for outcomes, follow through on commitments, and proactively remove blockers.
- Team Player: You collaborate across disciplines, listen actively, and contribute to a positive and constructive engineering culture.
- Integrity & Growth Mindset: You act with transparency and humility, learn from feedback and setbacks, and actively seek opportunities to grow.
For this role in particular, we value someone who is comfortable saying “I don’t know yet”, investigating source data, asking for help, and validating an answer before relying on it. If you use AI tools, you should apply the same care to their outputs.
WHAT WE OFFER
- The opportunity to work directly with engineers designing, analyzing, building, and testing spacecraft.
- Practical development in spacecraft thermal engineering, including thermal analysis, hardware development, TVAC testing, thermal balance testing, and model correlation.
- Close collaboration with experienced thermal engineers, with guidance as you build your skills and take on responsibility.
- Opportunities to improve engineering workflows through data processing, scripting, automation, and AI where useful.
- A job that matters in a dynamic Defense Technology and Earth Observation environment with a scale-up approach.
- A supportive and diverse work environment where you can learn and contribute.
- Occupational healthcare, occupational and accident insurance.
- Time for self-development, research, training, conferences, or certification schemes.
- Inspiring and collaborative offices and quiet workspaces to help you focus.
OUR COMMITMENT TO DIVERSITY EQUITY AND INCLUSION
At ICEYE, we believe that diversity isn’t just a buzzword – it’s our greatest asset. We are committed to fostering an inclusive environment where every voice is heard and valued. We know that diverse perspectives drive innovation and creativity, which is why we actively seek individuals from all backgrounds and experiences.
Whatever your background, we encourage you to bring your authentic self to work. If you require any specific accommodations during the recruitment process, please let us know.
