Aerothermal Engineer - HVAC

McLaren Automotive Ltd; Old Woking; On-site; GBP 60,000 - 85,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

25 days annual leave

Enhanced pension scheme

Discretionary annual bonus

Private medical insurance

Life assurance

Job summary

McLaren Automotive Ltd is seeking an experienced Aerothermal HVAC engineer to join the Aerothermal Team. You will work on developing HVAC and climate attributes across McLaren road cars, using 1D system simulation, CFD, rig testing and vehicle development to meet comfort and cooling targets.

You will define climate software control strategies, calibrate and validate performance, and collaborate with Design, Vehicle Engineering, Controls, Programme Management, Product Strategy and Sales &

Qualifications

• Strong understanding of heat transfer and fluid mechanics fundamentals.
• Experience with HVAC system development within automotive or aerospace sectors.
• Experience with 1D system simulation tools such as AMESim, GT-SUITE or MATLAB/Simulink advantageous.
• Experience with CFD analysis and thermal simulation techniques advantageous.
• Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills.

Responsibilities

• Develop HVAC attributes and systems for vehicle programmes, meeting targets and timelines.
• Develop HVAC and climate systems using 1D simulation, CFD, rig testing and vehicle evaluation.
• Define climate software control strategies and perform calibration/testing to complete validation.
• Communicate progress and critical issues to attribute leads, programme management and Chief Engineer.
• Define HVAC Design Verification Plan activities with Vehicle Development for testing and sign-off.
• Develop HVAC control strategies and conduct calibration to deliver optimized performance.
• Support continuous improvement of Aerothermal development processes (CFD, 1D modelling, rig testing).

Skills

Heat transfer fundamentals

Fluid mechanics fundamentals

Climate control knowledge

Interpret complex technical data

Stakeholder communication

Education

First-rate Aeronautical, Mechanical Engineering or Science degree

Tools

AMESim

GT-SUITE

MATLAB/Simulink

CFD analysis

CANape or similar tools

Job description

The Aerothermal Team is responsible for the delivery of all Aerodynamic, Thermal Management, Powertrain Cooling and HVAC attributes across McLaren road cars. From concept and research through to design, simulation, development, calibration and vehicle validation, the team serves as the centre of excellence for vehicle fluid flow, heat transfer and thermal comfort. In this role you will be working closely with the other members of the Aerothermal team, primarily to develop the HVAC and climate attributes. As part of your role, you will learn, develop and gain experience through training, mentoring and hands‑on experience of live projects and tasks. You will utilise a combination of 1D system simulation, CFD, rig testing and vehicle development activities to define requirements, develop systems and control strategies, deliver system calibration and validate performance against demanding customer and vehicle targets. The role requires close collaboration with a broad range of stakeholders, including Design, Vehicle Engineering, Controls, Vehicle Development, Programme Management, Product Strategy and Sales & Marketing, ensuring HVAC system performance is fully integrated into the overall vehicle experience. You will also contribute to continuous improvement within the Aerothermal Team, advancing simulation methodologies, testing techniques and tool correlation to enable efficient and concurrent development of McLaren's highly integrated, high-performance vehicles.

What You'll Do

• Develop the HVAC attribute and systems for vehicle programmes, contributing to target setting, functional specification, development, attribute delivery and programme sign-off while meeting attribute, timing and investment targets.
• Develop HVAC and climate systems using a combination of 1D simulation, CFD analysis, rig testing and vehicle evaluation to deliver passenger thermal comfort, demist/defrost and cooling performance targets.
• Define climate and thermal software control strategies and perform development testing (rig & prototype) to complete calibration and certification
• Communicate system design progress and critical issues to attribute leads, programme management and the Chief Engineer, partaking in Attribute, Styling, and Design reviews to ensure targets are met.
• Define HVAC Design Verification Plan (DVP) activities, working closely with Vehicle Development to ensure successful delivery of testing and sign-off requirement
• Develop HVAC control strategies and conduct calibration and validation activities to deliver optimised climate control performance and regulatory compliance.
• Support the continuous improvement of Aerothermal development processes, including CFD, 1D modelling, rig testing and vehicle testing methodologies, improving prediction accuracy, correlation and development efficiency

Requirements

• First‑rate Aeronautical, Mechanical Engineering or Science degree
• Strong understanding of heat transfer and fluid mechanic fundamentals
• Knowledge of climate control system development, refrigerant circuits, testing methodologies and calibration processes.
• Experience in HVAC system development within the automotive, aerospace or related engineering sectors.
• Experience with 1D system simulation tools such as AMESim, GT‑SUITE or MATLAB/Simulink advantageous.
• Experience in CFD analysis and aerodynamic/thermal simulation techniques advantageous.
• Experience using vehicle calibration and measurement tools such as CANape or equivalent advantageous.
• Ability to interpret complex technical data and translate findings into robust engineering solutions.
• Creativity, the ability to develop ideas from first principles through to a final refined and optimised design.
• Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills.

No restraints. No limitations. We don't simply push boundaries. We completely rethink them. McLaren Automotive exists to create breath‑taking performance road cars.

It takes a community to do what we do. A diverse group of people with many areas of expertise, united by their passion to deliver visionary products and set new benchmarks. McLaren Automotive commits to equal opportunity for all. Diversity, Equality and Inclusion is at the heart of our impact, it drives our innovation and enables us to truly create something special. Join us on our journey.

What We'll Do for You

• Structured career development framework
• 25 days' holiday, plus bank holiday. Annual buy & sell up to five days
• Enhanced company pension scheme
• Discretionary annual bonus award
• Private medical insurance and health cash plan
• Life assurance benefit
• Ability to apply for a sabbatical of up to one year after only two years' service
• Benefits you can adapt to your lifestyle, such as discounted shopping
• Generous parental leave policies
• A range of wellbeing initiatives, such as employee assistance programme and free financial & mortgage advice