Microsoft

Senior Thermal Engineer

Microsoft • $119K — $234K *
Mountain View, CA 94040In-Person
Enterprise Technology
Less than 5 years of experience
Today
Be an Early Applicant
Job Overview by Ladders

Qualifications

  • Master's or Bachelor's degree in Electrical, Computer, or Mechanical Engineering with relevant experience.
  • 3+ years of engineering experience for Master's degree holders, or 5+ years for Bachelor's degree holders.
  • Strong knowledge of thermal hardware design for data center applications.
  • Expertise in CFD modeling and thermal analysis using FloEFD/Flotherm preferred.
  • Proficient with CAD tools, ideally PTC Creo and Windchill.

Responsibilities

  • Support full lifecycle of server development from design to release.
  • Develop cooling solutions considering mechanical and electrical design aspects.
  • Plan and conduct thermal testing to validate server performance.
  • Perform CFD analysis to assess thermal performance and cooling effectiveness.
  • Collaborate with engineering teams to solve design challenges and implement thermal solutions.
  • Document and evaluate design options; communicate analysis clearly to stakeholders.
  • Lead troubleshooting and failure analysis to address complex thermal issues.

Benefits

  • Opportunity for domestic and international travel for project collaboration.
  • Engagement with cross-functional teams in a high-tech environment.
  • Involvement in the next generation of data center hardware development.
Full Job Description
Overview

Team-specific overview instruction: We are looking for a Senior Thermal Engineer to focus on the thermal hardware design of Azure servers and related components at the server and rack level. A strong mix of technical breadth and depth is required to work cross-functionally with different disciplines (Mechanical, Electrical, Thermal, and Software) to develop thermal hardware to effectively manage high performance data center devices. You will work with internal and external partners, focusing on delivering the next generation of world class data center hardware. The Senior Thermal Engineer's mission is to provide thermal engineering expertise to AHSI programs and create impact by achieving reliable, TCO minimized, thermal designs it a timely manner.

Responsibilities
  • Support the full lifecycle of server development, from early-stage design and architecture through validation, qualification, and product release.
  • Apply expertise in server thermal design and analysis to develop robust cooling solutions while accounting for mechanical, electrical, and overall system-level design considerations.
  • Plan, execute, and evaluate server-level thermal, airflow, and liquid-cooling testing to validate performance against defined specifications and requirements.
  • Perform Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) modeling and analysis to evaluate thermal performance, airflow behavior, and cooling effectiveness. Experience with FloEFD and/or Flotherm is highly preferred.
  • Develop and review mechanical designs using CAD tools while supporting effective CAD data management and design documentation. Experience with PTC Creo and Windchill is preferred.
  • Partner closely with cross-functional engineering teams and global development partners to communicate technical requirements, resolve design challenges, and drive thermal solutions from concept through production.
  • Develop high-level system concepts, document and evaluate design alternatives, and translate complex engineering analysis into clear recommendations for technical teams and senior leadership.
  • Lead troubleshooting, debugging, root-cause investigation, and failure analysis activities using strong engineering fundamentals and analytical techniques to resolve complex thermal and system-level issues.
  • Provide technical guidance and engineering support to Asia-based development partners throughout design, validation, and build activities.
  • Communicate complex technical concepts clearly and effectively through design reviews, technical documentation, presentations, and cross-functional discussions.
  • Support domestic and international travel, as needed, for design reviews, development builds, testing, validation, and other engineering activities.


Qualifications

Required Qualifications:
  • Master's Degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or related field AND 3+ years technical engineering experience
    • OR Bachelor's Degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or related field AND 5+ years technical engineering experience
    • OR equivalent experience.

Other Requirements:
  • Ability to meet Microsoft, customer and/or government security screening requirements are required for this role. These requirements include, but are not limited to, the following specialized security screenings:
    • Microsoft Cloud Background Check: This position will be required to pass the Microsoft Cloud background check upon hire/transfer and every two years thereafter.
  • This role will require access to information that is controlled for export under export control regulations, potentially under the U.S. International Traffic in Arms Regulations or Export Administration Regulations, the EU Dual Use Regulation, and/or other export control regulations. As a condition of employment, the successful candidate will be required to provide either proof of their country of citizenship or proof of their U.S. residency or other protected status (e.g., under 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3)) for assessment of eligibility to access the export-controlled information. To meet this legal requirement, and as a condition of employment, the successful candidate's citizenship will be verified with a valid passport. Lawful permanent residents, refugees, and asylees may verify status using other documents, where applicable.


Preferred Qualifications:
  • Minimum BS/MS in Mechanical/Thermal Engineering. MS with focus on thermal sciences preferred.
  • 7+ years of relevant experience in Thermal Engineering across all stages of server development and release cycles.
  • Strong background in thermal design and analysis for servers and related equipment, including heat exchangers.
  • Proven ability to partner with ODMs to develop and deliver thermal solutions that meet technical and performance specifications.
  • Hands-on expertise conducting thermal testing, including the use of airflow test chambers and related test equipment.
  • Demonstrated ownership of programs through the full lifecycle, from initial concept and design through validation and delivery.
  • Cross-functional collaboration with Mechanical Engineering (ME), Electrical Engineering (EE), and Software/Firmware teams to ensure thermal solutions are fully integrated with overall system requirements.


#SCHIE

Hardware Engineering IC4 - The typical base pay range for this role across the U.S. is USD $119,800 - $234,700 per year. There is a different range applicable to specific work locations, within the San Francisco Bay area and New York City metropolitan area, and the base pay range for this role in those locations is USD $160,200 - $261,000 per year.

Certain roles may be eligible for benefits and other compensation. Find additional benefits and pay information here:
https://careers.microsoft.com/us/en/us-corporate-pay

This position will be open for a minimum of 5 days, with applications accepted on an ongoing basis until the position is filled.

About Microsoft

Microsoft is an American multinational corporation that develops, manufactures, licenses, supports, and sells a range of software products and services. Microsoft’s devices and consumer (D&C) licensing segment licenses the Windows operating system and related software, Microsoft Office for consumers, and the Windows Phone operating system. The company’s computing and gaming hardware segment provides Xbox gaming and entertainment consoles and accessories, second-party and third-party video games, and Xbox Live subscriptions; surface devices and accessories; and Microsoft PC accessories. Its phone hardware segment offers Lumia smartphones and other non-Lumia phones. Its D&C segment provides Windows Store, Xbox Live transactions, and Windows phone store; search advertising; display advertising; Office 365 Home and Office 365 Personal; first-party video games; and other consumer products and services as well as operating retail stores. Microsoft’s commercial licensing segments license server products, including Windows Server, Microsoft SQL Server, Visual Studio, System Center, and related Client Access Licenses (CALs); Windows Embedded; Windows operating system; Microsoft Office for business, including Office, Exchange, SharePoint, Lync, and related CALs; Microsoft Dynamics business solutions; and Skype. Its commercial segment offers enterprise services, including premier support services and Microsoft consulting services; commercial cloud comprising Office 365 Commercial, other Microsoft Office online offerings, Dynamics CRM Online, and Microsoft Azure; and other commercial products and online services. The company markets and distributes its products through original equipment manufacturers, distributors, and resellers, as well as online.

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Learn more about Microsoft
Size
181,000 employees
Market Cap
$1,762.4 billion
Industry
Enterprise Technology
Net Income
$51.3 billion
Founded
1975
5 Year Trend
+15.5%
Revenue
$153.2 billion
NASDAQ
MSFT
* Ladders Estimates

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