Environmental Test Engineer - Thermal Vacuum

Recruiter:

Phaki Personnel

Job Ref:

JHB000287/L

Date posted:

Thursday, May 21, 2026

Location:

Cape Town, South Africa

Salary:

Monthly

SUMMARY:
Job Purpose
Reporting to the Engineering Manager, the incumbent will provide engineering oversight, facility configuration for operations, and development of Thermal Vacuum (TVAC) Test Facility testing procedures and documentation, develop operations and maintenance manuals and procedures for environmental test equipment/infrastructure, and associated equipment used in the development and qualification of satellite components and systems. The role ensures that all Thermal Vacuum test programmes are executed safely, accurately, and in accordance with international space standards.
Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical, Electrical, Electronic, or Mechatronic Engineering.
A master’s degree in the above engineering fields will be an advantage.
Minimum 5 years’ experience in thermal systems, vacuum systems, spacecraft/systems/component testing, environmental testing of high-tech systems, or similar.
Knowledge of TVAC principles, thermal modelling, heat transfer, vacuum physics, and ECSS/NASA GEVS standards.
Experience with thermal and vacuum chambers, control hardware, SCADA systems, instrumentation, and data acquisition, analysis, and interpretation.
Strong analytical, diagnostic, and communication skills.

POSITION INFO:
Responsibilities

Provide engineering oversight for Thermal Vacuum (TVAC) test operations.
Develop and maintain configuration-controlled Thermal Vacuum test facility processes and workflows, test procedures, works instructions, applicable manuals, and testing data packs for clients.
Conduct functional and physical audits of test equipment and support commissioning activities (FATs & SATs).
Create detailed asset registers, supervise contractors, and manage commissioning activities.
Perform thermal-vacuum testing, including pump-down procedures, thermal cycling, monitoring of temperature and vacuum profiles, and data analysis and interpretation.
Support facility readiness, diagnostic assessments, accreditation documentation, and standard compliance.
Mentor and train technicians, interns, and junior engineers.

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