Junior Thermal Research Engineer

Boyd; Fredericksburg (VA); On-site; USD 110,000 - 140,000; Full time

Job summary

Eaton's Fredericksburg, VA team seeks a Junior Thermal Research Engineer to advance thermal management for high‑performance electronics. You will work within a multidisciplinary group on design, modeling, experimentation, and data science methods to speed design cycles and improve system insight.

Responsibilities include developing cooling architectures, applying thermal-fluid models, and supporting DOE testing, data acquisition, and documentation.

Qualifications

• Master’s or PhD in Mechanical Engineering or related field.
• Eligibility to work in the United States without sponsorship.

Responsibilities

• Support the design and development of thermal management systems, including liquid cooling and heat exchanger-based architectures.
• Develop and apply thermal-fluid modeling tools for system-level performance prediction (steady-state and transient).
• Implement and use machine learning, AI and data-driven methods.
• Support data center cooling system modeling and DOE testing and validation of models.
• Create CAD models and engineering documentation (SolidWorks, P&IDs, drawings, test plans).
• Assist in manufacturing and assembly support, including prototype builds and testing.

Education

Master’s or PhD in Mechanical Engineering or related field

Tools

Python

MATLAB

Job description

Job Description

The Junior Thermal Research Engineer will work within a multidisciplinary engineering team to developinnovative thermal management and test solutionsfor high-performance electronics and data center systems. The role combinesthermal system design, modeling, experimentation, and data science techniques, with a focus on enabling faster design cycles and improved system-level insight.

Primary Responsibilities

• Support thedesign and development of thermal management systems, including liquid cooling, two-phase cooling, and heat exchanger-based architectures
• Cooling system design includingcold plates, cooling distribution units (CDUs) and passive two-phase solutions (heat pipes and vapor chambers)
• Develop and applythermal-fluid modeling tools(steady-state and transient) for system-level performance prediction, including pressure drop, heat transfer, and coolant distribution
• Implement and usemachine learning, AI and data-driven methods
• Supportdata center cooling system modeling, including rack-level and component-level thermal architecture analysis
• Conductdesign of experiments (DOE)and support experimental testing, including instrumentation, data acquisition, and validation of models
• Create and maintainCAD models and engineering documentation(e.g., SolidWorks designs, P&IDs, drawings, and test plans)
• Assist in development ofcomputational tools and simulation frameworks(Python, MATLAB) to support engineering decision-making and research activities
• Supportprototype development and testbed construction, including integration of thermal systems and measurement capabilities
• Collaborate with senior engineers and researchers to:
  • Evaluate new cooling technologies
  • Improve system efficiency and performance
  • Identify key design tradeoffs
• Contribute to technical documentation, reports, and presentations of results
• Supportcomponent and material selectionfor thermal systems (heat exchangers, sensors, cooling loops)
• Assist inmanufacturing and assembly support, including prototype builds and testing

Basic Qualifications

• Master’s or PhD degree in Mechanical Engineering or related field
• Eaton will not consider applicants for employment immigration sponsorship or support for this position. This means that Eaton will not support any CPT, OPT, or STEM OPT plans, F-1 to H-1B, H-1B cap registration, O-1, E-3, TN status, I-485 job portability, etc.
• Relocation may be offered for the role, must be currently located in the United States.

Preferred Experience

• Exposure todata center cooling or high-performance electronics thermal management
• Experience developingreduced-order or surrogate models for thermal systems
• Familiarity withoptimization-driven design workflows
• Experience integratingmodeling and experimental validation
• Focus or coursework inheat transfer, fluid dynamics, or thermal systemsrequired
• Laboratory experience
• Graduate research experience inthermal-fluid sciences or cooling technologies strongly preferred

Interview Requirements and Candidate Privacy Notice

All positions may require participation in video and in-person interviews as part of the hiring process. All candidates will be evaluated based on job-related competencies, and all candidates’ privacy rights and data security will be protected in accordance with applicable laws.

All Job Posting Locations

Fredericksburg

Remote Type

On‑Site

EEO Statement

We are committed to ensuring equal employment opportunities for all job applicants and employees.

Employment decisions are based upon job-related reasons regardless of an applicant’s race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, national origin, disability, marital status, genetic information, protected veteran status, or any other status protected by law.

Eaton believes in second chance employment. Qualified applicants with arrest or conviction history will be considered regardless of their arrest or conviction history, consistent with the Los Angeles County Fair Chance Ordinance, the California Fair Chance Act and other local laws.

You do not need to disclose your conviction history or participate in a background check until a conditional job offer is made to you. After making a conditional offer and running a background check, if Eaton is concerned about conviction that is directly related to the job, you will be given the chance to explain the circumstances surrounding the conviction, provide mitigating evidence, or challenge the accuracy of the background report.

Accommodations

To request a disability-related reasonable accommodation to assist you in your job search, application, or interview process, please call us at 1-800-836-6345 to discuss your specific need. Only accommodation requests will be accepted by this phone number.