Staff Thermal Simulation Engineer

Form Energy; Berkeley (CA); On-site; USD 140,000 - 190,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Relocation assistance

Stock options

Benefits package

Competitive salaries

Job summary

Form Energy is seeking a Staff Simulation Engineer specializing in CFD and thermal systems to guide the modeling framework from R&D to pilot to full-scale deployment. You will own the thermal-fluid strategy, multi-scale simulations, and predictive modeling standards ensuring safety, durability, and grid readiness of 100-hour iron-air systems.

Relocation assistance is available. You will lead high-fidelity CFD development, validate models with empirical data, and drive automated workflows across

Qualifications

• Bachelor's or higher in thermal-fluid sciences with 8+ years of related work experience, or advanced degrees with relevant industry exposure.
• Deep technical expertise in CFD codes and meshing software such as Ansys Fluent, Star-CCM+, or Comsol Multiphysics.
• Strong grounding in conjugate heat transfer, fluid dynamics, multiphase flow, and closed-loop cooling systems.
• Proficient in Python or MATLAB to post-process, visualize, and automate large multi-physics datasets.
• Experience translating simulation results into actionable hardware-level requirements.
• Ability to build cross-functional networks for design trade-offs alignment.
• Curiosity and drive to understand complex physical phenomena from microscale to grid integration.
• Pragmatic, fast-iteration problem solving for design ambiguity.

Responsibilities

• Architect high-fidelity CFD and transient thermal modeling across scales from micro-cell fields to macro containerized systems.
• Validate physics-based models against empirical data with test and instrumentation teams.
• Develop automated simulation and optimization workflows to evaluate fluid routing, pressure drops, and cooling loop efficiencies.
• Collaborate with electrochemical, mechanical, and power electronics teams to resolve thermal-fluid anomalies.
• Select methodologies, mesh structures, and boundary conditions to identify hot spots and thermal risks.
• Standardize internal modeling workflows and conduct peer design reviews for simulation excellence.
• Identify toolset limitations and build robust, custom tools to remove engineering blockers.

Skills

CFD software

Python

MATLAB

Thermal-fluid analysis

Multiphase flow

Conjugate heat transfer

Education

Bachelor's degree in thermal-fluid sciences

Master's degree

PhD

Tools

Ansys Fluent

Star-CCM+

Comsol Multiphysics

Job description

Are you ready to build America’s energy future? Form Energy is an American manufacturing and energy technology company. We’re revolutionizing energy storage with cost-effective, multi-day technology designed to keep the electric grid secure and reliable, even during extended periods of stress. By strengthening the electric system and reimagining what’s possible, we’re giving clean energy a whole new form!

In recent years, Form Energy has earned a number of accolades, including being named by TIME as a “Best Invention”, MIT Technology Review as a “Top Climate Tech Company To Watch”, and Fast Company as “One of the Next Big Things In Tech”. We are making rapid progress on our mission of delivering energy storage for a better world, and our team is growing just as rapidly to meet demand. We have signed contracts with leading electric utilities across the United States and production of our iron-air batteries is underway at our first high-volume manufacturing facility in West Virginia.

Working for Form Energy is more than just a job, it’s a chance to be part of something extraordinary. And now - right as we significantly scale up battery manufacturing - might be the most exciting moment in the company’s history to join. We are assembling a team of highly talented and driven individuals across the country. Driven by our core values of humanity, excellence, and creativity, our team is determined to deliver on our mission and transform the energy landscape for the better.

Feeling energized to make a meaningful impact on the world? Then keep reading - you’ve come to the right place.

Role Description

As a Staff Simulation Engineer specializing in Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) and Thermal Systems, you will play a critical role in bringing Form Energy's multi-day energy storage systems from R&D and pilot stages to full-scale commercial utility deployment. You will own the thermal-fluid architectural strategy, physics-based modeling framework, and multi-scale simulation methodologies for our 100-hour iron-air battery systems. Resolving complex, multi-variable issues across electrical, mechanical, and electrochemical boundaries, you will establish the predictive modeling standards required to ensure the ultimate safety, durability, and commercial readiness of our technology. Your technical leadership will directly enable the optimization of system-level thermal management architectures, ensuring predictable operation and long-term grid stability.

Relocation assistance is available.

What you'll do:

• Architect high-fidelity computational fluid dynamics (CFD) and transient thermal modeling strategies across multiple physical scales, spanning from micro-scale electrochemical cell fields to macro-scale containerized systems.
• Validate and anchor numerical physics-based models against empirical data, collaborating with test and instrumentation teams to close the gap between simulation and physical testing.
• Own the development of automated simulation and optimization workflows to systematically evaluate fluid routing, pressure drops, and cooling loop efficiencies.
• Partner with electrochemical, mechanical, and power electronics teams to resolve complex, multi-factor thermal-fluid anomalies during product integration.
• Suggest and exercise judgment in selecting simulation methodologies, mesh structures, and boundary condition assumptions to proactively identify hot spots and thermal risks.
• Drive the standardization of internal modeling workflows and establish rigorous peer design reviews to ensure technical simulation excellence.
• Model initiative by identifying limitations in our physics-based toolsets and building customized, robust tools to eliminate engineering development blocks.

What you’ll bring:

• Experience with a Bachelor's degree and 8+ years of related work experience, or a Master's degree and multiple years of experience, or a PhD with deep focus on thermal-fluid sciences and some industry experience.
• Deep technical expertise in commercial computational fluid dynamics codes and meshing software, such as Ansys Fluent, Star-CCM+, or Comsol Multiphysics.
• Strong foundational knowledge of conjugate heat transfer, fluid dynamics, multiphase flow, and closed-loop cooling systems.
• Applied experience using scripting languages like Python or MATLAB to post-process, visualize, and automate massive multi-physics datasets.
• Demonstrated track record of translating complex simulation results into actionable, physical system-level requirements that guide design decisions.
• Ability to build formal networks outside your immediate area of expertise to achieve technical alignment on multi-variable design trade-offs.
• Intellectual curiosity that drives a continuous pursuit of understanding novel, complex physical phenomena from the microscale to complete grid integration.
• Pragmatic problem-solving skills to navigate design ambiguity and balance modeling fidelity with rapid execution speed.
• Thriving on complexity and enjoying the challenge of decomposing abstract, highly integrated physical problems into clean, high-performing thermal systems.

Humanity is a cornerstone of Form Energy’s culture, and we make sure our compensation and benefits reflect that. Form Energy offers competitive salaries, stock options, and a holistic benefits package to ensure all employees have what they need to thrive while working here.

When it comes to you and your family’s health, we cover 100% of medical, dental, and vision premiums for full-time employees - and 80% of healthcare premiums for dependents. This starts from day one. We also offer at least 12 weeks of paid leave for new parents (up to 20 weeks for birthing parents), and generous vacation policies to give employees time to recharge when needed.

To build America’s energy future, we need everyone at the table. We are proud to be an equal opportunity employer, and encourage candidates from all backgrounds to apply to our open jobs.

If you may require reasonable accommodations to participate in our interview process, please contact [e-mail]. Requests for accommodations will be treated with discretion.

Form Energy is committed to maintaining the privacy of our applicants. Please be aware that we will never solicit sensitive personal information such as Social Security numbers or bank account details during the recruiting or hiring process.