Aerospace and Defense, Analysis Skills, Avionics, Best Practices, Bill of Materials (BOM), Change Control, Commercial Off-the-Shelf (COTS), Communication Skills, Configuration Management, Corrective Action, Defense Intelligence, Driver's License, Electricity, Electronics, Finite Element Analysis, Government, Heat Transfer, Integration Testing, Leadership, Mechanical Engineering, Mentoring, Military/DoD Standards, Procedure Development, Risk Management, System Integration (SI), Technical/Engineering Design, Test Design, Test Readiness Review (TRR), Testing, Trade Studies, United States Air Force (USAF), United States Citizen
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LEAD ENGINEER - PRINCIPAL ENGINEER - Avionics Thermal Design Engineer
16-01534
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Who We Are:
The Strategic Aerospace Department within the Defense & Intelligence Solutions Division delivers cutting-edge engineering services to enhance the warfighter's capabilities across bomber, tanker, and heavy aircraft platforms. We specialize in world-class research, design, and support, providing innovative solutions to modern challenges and legacy systems for the U.S. Air Force Global Strike Command, Department of Defense, allied nations, and the U.S. Government, ensuring mission readiness and technological superiority.
Objectives of this Role:
- Lead thermal architecture for advanced avionics, ensuring electronics meet performance and reliability targets across worst-case mission environments (hot ramp, cold soak, high altitude).
- Deliver flight-worthy, integratable thermal designs (conduction, convection, liquid/air cooling) that reduce risk, rework, and schedule impacts during integration and test.
- Own end-to-end analysis and validation (CFD/FEA, derating, margins, qualification) to prove compliance with customer/airworthiness requirements and program commitments.
- Drive DMSMS-aware modernization by selecting COTS/MIL-spec components and thermal solutions that improve sustainment, maintainability, and lifecycle cost.
- Mentor teams and set technical standards for thermal design reviews, test readiness, and production transition, accelerating delivery of high-confidence avionics solutions.
Daily and Monthly Responsibilities:
- Lead thermal trade studies for avionics (air/liquid cooling, conduction paths, materials), set margins, and resolve heat/airflow issues with electrical, mechanical, and systems teams.
- Build/update CFD/FEA models, power maps, and derating analyses; document assumptions, sensitivities, and results to support rapid design decisions and integration readiness.
- Support lab bring-up and troubleshooting-instrumentation, data review, root-cause of hot spots, and corrective actions for hardware and packaging changes.
- Plan/execute thermal verification (TVAC/temperature rise, airflow tests), define test procedures, analyze results, and produce compliance evidence for reviews and airworthiness artifacts.
- Drive design reviews and configuration control-approve drawings/BOM impacts, coordinate suppliers, and mentor engineers on thermal standards, best practices, and lessons learned.
Requirements:
- Requires a Bachelors degree in Mechanical Engineering, Thermal Engineering, Mechatronics Engineering or related engineering degree with directly related experience.
- 11+ years: Expert thermal engineering for avionics: heat transfer, thermal networks, component derating, and margining across flight and ground extremes; strong fundamentals plus practical packaging insight.
- 11+ years: Advanced analysis skills: CFD/FEA (e.g., Flotherm/Icepak/ANSYS), model correlation, uncertainty/sensitivity studies, and turning results into clear design decisions and requirements.
- 11+ years: Requirements-to-results driver: translate customer thermal/performance requirements into actionable design constraints, lead trades to meet SwRI design standards, and deliver verified thermal margin with clear compliance evidence.
- 11+ years: Systems integration skills: partner across EE/ME/SE, manage interfaces and configuration, drive technical reviews, mentor engineers, and communicate effectively with customers and program leadership.
- A valid/clear drivers license is required.
Special Requirements:
Applicant selected will be subject to a government security investigation and must meet eligibility requirements for access to classified information. Applicant must be a U.S. citizen.
Job Locations: San Antonio, Texas Or Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
For more information about this division, visit the Defense & Intelligence Solutions home page.
For benefits information at our San Antonio location, click here.
For benefits information at all other locations, click here.
An Equal Employment Opportunity Employer: race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability, and veteran status.
If you need assistance with completing the application, please Contact Us
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Southwest Research Institute
We are R&D problem solvers providing independent, premier services to government and industry clients. Our multidisciplinary nature allows us to rapidly assemble diverse teams to tackle problems from multiple directions. We push the boundaries of science and technology to develop innovative solutions that advance the state of the art and improve human health and safety. Operating as a nonprofit since our 1947 inception, we work in the public’s best interest and toward the betterment of mankind. At SwRI, we tirelessly pursue innovation and excellence in science and technology for the betterment of humankind. We support work on nearly 4,000 client projects at any given time through a wide range of technical competencies with 2,574 staff members in nine technical divisions. Client services include, but are not limited to, Automotive and Transportation, Biomedical & Health, Chemistry & Materials, Computers and Electronics, Defense & Security, Earth & Space, Energy & Environment, and Manufacturing & Construction.
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Southwest Research Institute has earned 43 R&D 100 awards since 1971. Each year R&D Magazine recognizes developments regarded as among the 100 most significant technical accomplishments. The Chicago Tribune dubbed the program "the Oscars of Invention".