Senior Thermal Systems EngineerThis individual will act as the thermal lead on assigned programs, taking ownership of technical decisions and drafting thermal requirements with minimal supervision. The role covers the full range of thermal and mechanical engineering functions related to the design, testing, and evaluation of thermal systems for electronic systems, including semiconductors, photonics, and embedded devices, from early concept through mass production. Responsibilities include directing thermal system design and validation, mentoring junior engineers, and serving as the primary technical point of contact for thermal scope on their programs.
Essential Duties & Responsibilities- Serve as the thermal lead on assigned programs, making independent technical decisions and drafting thermal system requirements.
- Own thermal system design and validation for liquid-cooled and refrigerant-based systems, from architecture through release.
- Lead thermal system design and validation across the full product lifecycle, including prototyping, design validation, and transition to mass production.
- Design and develop thermal components such as cold plates (liquid-cooling and two-phase), ceramic heaters, heat sinks, chillers, and condensing units.
- Design and support high power, high temperature active thermal control systems.
- Perform hands-on thermal system testing and design validation to confirm designs meet specifications and performance requirements.
- Conduct thermal analyses to evaluate component and system-level performance.
- Collaborate with and provide technical direction to design and development teams to integrate thermal solutions into product designs.
- Mentor and provide technical guidance to less experienced engineers on the team.
- Optimize thermal designs to improve efficiency, reduce costs, and enhance performance.
- Develop and maintain detailed documentation of designs, analyses, and testing results.
- Stay current with advancements in thermal management technologies and methodologies.
- Ensure compliance with industry standards and regulations related to thermal design and performance.
- Work with procurement, manufacturing, quality assurance, and technical support teams to establish specifications, and assist in vendor/supplier selection for parts, materials, and assemblies.
- Provide hands-on support during product installation and commissioning at customer sites, and guidance to the field service team.
- Identify risk areas and opportunities for optimization, and drive resolution of field issues in collaboration with the field team.
- Act as a technical point of contact for customers on thermal-related issues for their programs.
- Conduct hands-on evaluation of prototype and sub-assembly builds, including thorough performance assessments.
- Perform additional duties as required.
Requirements, Education & Skills- Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering, Thermal Engineering, or Physics required; Master's degree preferred.
- 8+ years of experience in the semiconductor industry, with a demonstrated track record of leading thermal scope on programs independently, including drafting technical requirements and making design decisions with minimal oversight.
- Active thermal control experience in the semiconductor industry required.
- Expertise in thermal system design and validation for liquid-cooled and refrigerant-based systems.
- Proven experience across the end-to-end product lifecycle: prototyping, design validation, and mass production.
- Hands-on capability performing thermal system testing and design validation.
- Deep knowledge of cold plates (liquid-cooling, two-phase), ceramic heaters, heat sinks, chillers, and condensing units.
- Experience with high power, high temperature active thermal control systems.
- Experience with PID control and tuning for closed-loop thermal systems.
- Strong problem-solving skills and the ability to lead technical decisions on ambiguous problems.
- Background in electronic packaging, testing, and integration of thermal systems into automated handling preferred.
- Experience working on cross-functional teams building complex test systems involving motion control hardware, electrical, and software components is a plus.
- Familiarity with burn-in ovens and active thermal control solutions for automotive- or military-grade devices is a plus.
- Experience with heaters, Peltiers, heatsinks, sockets, condensation abatement, and airflow uniformity is desirable.
- 3D design experience with SolidWorks preferred.
- Ability to travel up to 20% to customer sites.
- Strong analytical and synthesis capabilities.
- On-site role in Lake Forest, CA.
Additional Preferred Skills (not required)- Experience with thermal modeling and analysis tools (e.g., SolidWorks Flow, Ansys Icepak).
- Experience in the design, certification, and deployment of semiconductor capital equipment.
- Prior experience formally leading or technically directing a program team.
