CFD Engineer, Data Centers - Remote (U.S.)

AECOM; Virginia; Remote; USD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

AECOM is seeking a hands-on Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) Engineer to join the Data Center team in Arlington, VA, with the option for full remote work. The role requires delivering airflow, thermal, and equipment-discharge studies and translating complex simulations into practical design actions across multiple projects.

The successful candidate will establish repeatable CFD workflows, communicate assumptions clearly, and contribute to high‑quality reports and client deliverables.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering or Aerospace Engineering.
• 6+ years of hands‑on CFD experience in data centers or similar thermal‑management environments.
• Proficiency with CFD platforms such as Cadence 6SigmaDCX, Ansys Fluent/CFX, or OpenFOAM.

Responsibilities

• Own the full CFD study lifecycle from scoping to reporting.
• Perform data hall studies: rack inlet temps, containment, and cooling configurations.
• Execute external studies for towers, chillers, exhausts, and heat rejection.
• Conduct steady‑state and transient analyses for outages and load changes.
• Develop defensible modeling assumptions using design data, field measurements, and weather data.
• Present findings to multidisciplinary teams and support implementation of recommendations.

Skills

CFD experience

Data-center applications

HVAC fundamentals

Fluid mechanics

Thermodynamics

Education

Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering

Aerospace Engineering

Tools

Cadence 6SigmaDCX

Ansys Fluent

Ansys CFX

OpenFOAM

Job description

Company Description

Work with Us. Change the World.

At AECOM, we're delivering a better world. Whether improving your commute, keeping the lights on, providing access to clean water, or transforming skylines, our work helps people and communities thrive. We are the world's trusted infrastructure consulting firm, partnering with clients to solve the world’s most complex challenges and build legacies for future generations.

There has never been a better time to be at AECOM. With accelerating infrastructure investment worldwide, our services are in great demand. We invite you to bring your bold ideas and big dreams and become part of a global team of over 50,000 planners, designers, engineers, scientists, digital innovators, program and construction managers and other professionals delivering projects that create a positive and tangible impact around the world.

We're one global team driven by our common purpose to deliver a better world. Join us.

Job Description

AECOM is seeking a hands-on Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) Engineer to join its Data Center team in our Buildings and Places (B+P) group in our Arlington, VA office; however, this position can be fully remote. This individual-contributor role is responsible for executing internal and external airflow, thermal, and equipment-discharge studies with minimal oversight. The successful candidate will convert complex simulation results into practical design actions, clearly communicate assumptions and limitations, and help establish repeatable, high-quality CFD workflows across multiple concurrent projects.

This position offers the flexibility of a remote work schedule and can be based from a variety of locations in the US where AECOM has an office.

Although the position is primarily remote periodic travel may be required for client meetings, key project milestones, onsite collaboration sessions, or other business‑critical activities. Travel is expected to be occasional and scheduled in advance

AECOM is a leader in the global data center consulting industry with robust teams in the Americas, Europe, Africa, Asia, and Australia. In this role, you will have the opportunity to work with our teams around the world on high-profile, fast-paced data center projects for global clients. This is a hands‑on, client‑facing role with an opportunity for upward career mobility.

Key Responsibilities:

• Own the full CFD study lifecycle: clarify the design question, define scope and acceptance criteria, develop the methodology, build geometry, generate the mesh, establish boundary conditions, solve, verify convergence, post‑process results, and issue technical reports.
• Perform internal data hall studies addressing rack inlet temperatures, airflow distribution, hot‑and‑cold‑aisle containment, bypass and recirculation, raised‑floor or slab configurations, cooling‑unit placement, rack density, failure modes, and capacity‑expansion scenarios.
• Perform external studies for cooling towers, chillers, dry coolers, generator and boiler exhaust, mechanical yards, relief air, outdoor‑air intakes, heat rejection, plume behavior, short‑circuiting, and thermal re‑entrainment.
• Conduct steady‑state and transient analyses for cooling‑system outages, equipment failures, load changes, control sequences, thermal ride‑through, and other operating scenarios defined by the project team.
• Develop defensible modeling assumptions using design documents, equipment data, controls narratives, weather data, commissioning information, and field measurements; identify data gaps and document their impact on conclusions.
• Apply sound verification and validation practices, including mesh‑sensitivity checks, mass and energy balance reviews, convergence assessment, comparison with hand calculations, and correlation to measured or monitoring data when available.
• Evaluate results against project‑specific criteria and relevant guidance, including ASHRAE TC 9.9 thermal guidance and applicable client, code, and industry requirements.
• Translate findings into prioritized, actionable recommendations for equipment selection, airflow management, containment, intake/exhaust separation, controls, phasing, redundancy, and operational resilience.
• Prepare concise, client‑ready reports and visualizations that clearly communicate methodology, assumptions, scenarios, results, risks, limitations, and recommended next steps.
• Present findings and coordinate directly with multidisciplinary project teams to resolve issues and confirm implementation of recommendations.
• Contribute to standardized templates, modeling procedures, quality‑control checklists, libraries, and lessons learned; support technical knowledge sharing and mentoring of less‑experienced staff.

Qualifications

Minimum Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or a closely related engineering discipline.
• 6+ years of hands‑on CFD experience, including direct application to data centers, mission‑critical facilities, or similarly complex thermal‑management environments.
• Proficiency with at least one data‑center or general‑purpose CFD platform, such as Cadence 6SigmaDCX, Ansys Fluent, Ansys CFX, or OpenFOAM, and the ability to learn and apply project‑required tools.
• Strong fundamentals in fluid mechanics, heat transfer, thermodynamics, turbulence modeling, and HVAC system operation.
• Experience modeling both internal environments, such as IT spaces and containment systems, and external environments, such as mechanical yards, cooling equipment, intakes, and exhaust discharges.
• Working knowledge of data center cooling architectures, HVAC systems, redundancy concepts, controls and failure scenarios, and common thermal performance metrics.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s in Mechanical Engineering
• Professional Engineer (PE)
• Experience with US codes and standards.
• Demonstrated success independently delivering CFD studies from scoping through final report, including geometry preparation, meshing, solver setup, convergence assessment, post‑processing, and engineering interpretation.
• Ability to develop appropriate boundary conditions from design information and equipment performance data, and to explain the sensitivity of results to key assumptions.
• Strong technical writing, visualization, and presentation skills, with the ability to communicate complex results to engineering teams, project managers, and clients.

Additional Information

Additional Information:

• Relocation is not available for this role
• Sponsorship for U.S. employment authorization is not available now or in the future for this position.
• THIS POSTING IS FOR A CURRENT VACANCY, AND AECOM INTENDS TO FILL THIS POSITION BY JANUARY 9, 2027

At AECOM, we are committed to maintaining a secure and trustworthy recruitment process and take any fraudulent hiring activity seriously. To support this commitment, all newly hired employees are required to attend an in-person Day 1 onboarding at an AECOM office location as a condition of employment.

About AECOM

AECOM is proud to offer comprehensive benefits to meet the diverse needs of our employees. Depending on your employment status, AECOM benefits may include medical, dental, vision, life, AD&D, disability benefits, paid time off, leaves of absences, voluntary benefits, perks, flexible work options, well‑being resources, employee assistance program, business travel insurance, service recognition awards, retirement savings plan, and employee stock purchase plan.

AECOM is the global infrastructure leader, committed to delivering a better world. As a trusted professional services firm powered by deep technical abilities, we solve our clients’ complex challenges in water, environment, energy, transportation and buildings. Our teams partner with public‑and‑private‑sector clients to create innovative, sustainable and resilient solutions throughout the project lifecycle – from advisory, planning, design and engineering to program and construction management. AECOM is a Fortune 500 firm that had revenue of $16.1 billion in fiscal year 2025. Learn more at aecom.com.

What makes AECOM a great place to work

You will be part of a global team that champions your growth and career ambitions. Work on groundbreaking projects - both in your local community and on a global scale - that are transforming our industry and shaping the future. With cutting‑edge technology and a network of experts, you’ll have the resources to make a real impact. Our award‑winning training and development programs are designed to expand your technical expertise and leadership skills, helping you build the career you’ve always envisioned. Here, you’ll find a welcoming workplace built on respect, collaboration and community—where you have the freedom to grow in a world of opportunity.

As an Equal Opportunity Employer, we believe in your potential and are here to help you achieve it. All your information will be kept confidential according to EEO guidelines.