Senior Thermal Design Engineer

Acceler8 Talent; San Francisco, Northern (CA, KY); Hybrid; USD 140,000 - 190,000; Full time

Job summary

Acceler8Talent is partnering with a VC-backed AI/networking hardware startup in the SF Bay Area to hire a Senior Thermal Engineer. You will shape high-performance datacenter cooling solutions including heatsinks, cold plates, and liquid cooling for hyperscale AI workloads.

This role emphasizes thermal modeling, testing, and cross-team collaboration to deliver reliable systems. The ideal candidate has 5–10 years in thermal design, a mechanical engineering background (MS preferred), and hands-on

Qualifications

• 5–10 years in thermal design for datacenter network systems preferred.
• B.S. in Mechanical Engineering with focus on heat transfer.
• M.S. degree preferred for advanced thermal modeling.
• Proficient in industry-standard thermal simulation tools.

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

Thermal design

Thermal modeling

Thermal testing

Cross-functional collaboration

Supplier liaison

Troubleshooting

Industry trend awareness

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