A thermal actuator includes a piston slidingly within a cylinder. The piston cooperates with the cylinder to define a cavity. The piston also includes a rod extending away from the cavity. A magnetic field generator selectively imparts an alternating magnetic field to the cylinder, and inductively heats a heating element mounted within the cavity. The cavity also includes a volume of a phase-change material, which is melted by the heating element. The melting phase-change material expands to drive the rod from a retracted position to an extended position.