Aerothermal HVAC Engineer

McLaren Racing; Old Woking; On-site; GBP 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Structured career development

25 days holiday + bank holidays

Pension scheme

Discretionary annual bonus

Private medical insurance

Life assurance

Sabbatical after 2 years

Wellbeing programmes

Job summary

McLaren Automotive seeks an experienced Senior Aerothermal HVAC Engineer to lead HVAC and climate systems across McLaren vehicle programmes. You’ll apply 1D system simulation, CFD and rig testing to achieve passenger thermal comfort and cooling targets, while coordinating with design, controls and vehicle development teams.

You will drive DVP activities, develop control strategies and validate performance to meet demanding customer and program targets, mentoring junior engineers along the way.

Qualifications

• Degree in Aeronautical or Mechanical Engineering or related science.
• Experience in HVAC system development for automotive/aerospace sectors.
• Knowledge of climate control, refrigerant circuits and calibration processes.
• Experience with 1D simulation tools and CFD for thermal analysis.
• Experience with CANape or equivalent vehicle calibration tools.

Responsibilities

• Lead HVAC attribute and system development for vehicle programmes, including target setting, specifications, development and sign-off.
• Develop HVAC and climate systems using 1D simulation, CFD, rig testing and vehicle evaluation.
• Lead cross-functional engineering activities and ensure robust system integration and validation.
• Present progress, risks and mitigation plans to leadership and engineers.
• Define and manage DVP activities and calibration/validation efforts.
• Develop HVAC control strategies to optimise climate control performance.
• Mentor junior engineers and promote engineering excellence.

Skills

HVAC system development

1D system simulation

CFD analysis

Vehicle development

Stakeholder management

Education

Bachelor's degree in Mechanical/Aeronautical Engineering

Tools

AMESim

GT-SUITE

MATLAB/Simulink

STAR-CCM+

CANape

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. As a Senior Aerothermal HVAC Engineer, you will lead the HVAC and climate systems attribute across McLaren's vehicle programmes. Working at the forefront of thermal comfort engineering, 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 play a key role in driving 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

What You’ll Do

• Lead the HVAC attribute and system development for vehicle programmes, taking ownership of 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.
• Lead cross-functional engineering activities within a matrix organisation, ensuring robust system integration and validation across HVAC hardware, software and its wider vehicle dependencies.
• Present technical progress, risks and mitigation plans to programme leadership and Chief Engineers, leading HVAC-focused attribute, styling and design reviews throughout the vehicle development process.
• Define and manage HVAC Design Verification Plan (DVP) activities, working closely with Vehicle Development to ensure successful delivery of testing and sign-off requirements.
• Define and develop HVAC control strategies and conduct calibration and validation activities to deliver optimised climate control performance and regulatory compliance.
• Act as McLaren’s subject matter expert in passenger thermal comfort, providing technical leadership across HVAC system design and control strategies (i.e. thermal comfort models, metabolic rate, solar loading, humidity, air distribution and velocity, refrigerant circuits).
• 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.
• Mentor and support junior engineers, sharing technical expertise and promoting engineering excellence across the department.

What You’ll Bring

• First-rate degree in Aeronautical, Mechanical Engineering or a related science discipline. Proven experience in HVAC system development within the automotive, aerospace or related engineering sectors.
• Knowledge of climate control system development, refrigerant circuits, testing methodologies and calibration processes.
• Strong understanding of thermodynamics and fluid mechanics fundamentals.
• Experience with 1D system simulation tools such as AMESim, GT-SUITE or MATLAB/Simulink.
• Experience in CFD analysis and aerodynamic/thermal simulation techniques, ideally using STAR-CCM+.
• Experience using vehicle calibration and measurement tools such as CANape or equivalent.
• Ability to interpret complex technical data and translate findings into robust engineering solutions.
• Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills, with experience presenting to senior technical and programme leadership teams. 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.

Benefits

We offer a wide - ranging benefits package, which includes:

• 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