Senior Thermal Design Engineer

Acceler8 Talent; San Francisco (CA); On-site; USD 130,000 - 190,000; Full time

Job summary

Acceler8Talent is seeking a Senior Thermal Engineer to help shape high-performance AI/data-center infrastructure. You will design cooling solutions, model thermal behavior, and validate designs for reliability across datacenter networks in the SF Bay Area.

You will lead cross-functional efforts with hardware and system teams, implement liquid and air cooling strategies, and stay ahead of industry trends to ensure scalable cooling for hyperscale workloads.

Qualifications

• B.S. in Mechanical Engineering required; M.S. preferred with focus on heat transfer.
• 5–10 years in thermal design with datacenter network systems preferred.
• Proficient in thermal simulation tools (Flotherm, Flotherm-XT, IcePak).
• Strong understanding of air cooling techniques including vapor chambers, heat pipes, heat sinks, fans, TIMs, and rack-level constraints.
• Experience with liquid cooling preferred but not required.
• Deep knowledge of heat transfer and real-world thermal system design.

Responsibilities

• Design and develop thermal solutions including heatsinks, cold plates, and liquid cooling systems.
• Perform thermal modeling and simulations using industry-standard tools.
• Lead thermal testing and validation to ensure performance and reliability.
• Collaborate with hardware and system teams to integrate thermal designs.
• Work with suppliers to deliver high-quality thermal components.
• Troubleshoot thermal issues and maintain system reliability.
• Stay current on industry trends and emerging cooling technologies.

Skills

Heat transfer knowledge

Thermal modeling

Collaborative skills

Education

B.S. in Mechanical Engineering

M.S. preferred

Tools

Flotherm

Flotherm-XT

IcePak

Job description

Acceler8Talent is proud to partner with a well‑funded, VC‑backed AI/networking hardware startup in the SF Bay area that’s redefining infrastructure for the world’s largest hyperscalers. Operating under a Joint Development Model (JDM), this company co‑develops highly customized networking hardware, software, and optics solutions tailored to the evolving needs of large‑scale AI workloads.

With over $600M in VC funding and rapid expansion underway, they're now looking to hire a Senior Thermal Engineer to help shape the next generation of high‑performance systems.

What You’ll Do:

• Design and develop thermal solutions including heatsinks, cold plates, and liquid cooling systems
• Perform thermal modeling and simulations using industry‑standard tools
• Lead thermal testing and validation to ensure performance and reliability
• Collaborate with hardware and system teams to integrate thermal designs
• Work with suppliers to deliver high‑quality thermal components
• Troubleshoot thermal issues and maintain system reliability
• Stay current on industry trends and emerging cooling technologies

What You Bring:

• B.S. in Mechanical Engineering (M.S. preferred), with focus on heat transfer
• 5-10 years in thermal design with datacenter network systems preferred
• Proficient in thermal simulation tools (Flotherm, Flotherm-XT, IcePak)
• Strong understanding of air cooling techniques: vapor chambers, heat pipes, heat sinks, fans, TIMs, and rack‑level constraints
• Experience with liquid cooling (preferred, not required)
• Deep knowledge of heat transfer and real‑world thermal system design