Thermal/ Mechanical Engineer, Battery System

QuantumScape; San Jose (CA); On-site; USD 170,000 - 210,000; Full time

Job summary

QuantumScape is hiring a Thermal/Mechanical Engineer to own the physical design of high-density rack-mount enclosures, integrating thermal and structural considerations with battery cells and power electronics. You will lead CAD design, CFD analysis, and collaboration with hyperscalers during qualification, ensuring manufacturability and serviceability in data center environments.

The role requires deep expertise in thermal management, enclosure design, and interface to contract manufacturers,

Qualifications

• 8+ years designing thermal-mechanical enclosures for rack-mount power, compute, or telecom equipment.
• Relevant Bachelor’s degree and 9+ years’ experience or a relevant Master’s degree and 8+ years’ experience or relevant Ph.D. and 5+ years’ experience.
• Demonstrated experience with CFD thermal simulation tools (Ansys Icepak, FloTHERM, or 6SigmaET) - not optional.
• Proficiency in SolidWorks or Creo for detailed mechanical design.
• Sheet metal design for volume manufacturing (bend radii, punching/stamping, spot welding, tolerance stackup analysis).
• Track record of designs that went through contract manufacturing and passed thermal validation in a production or data center environment.
• Understanding of airflow management in forced-convection rack environments.

Responsibilities

• Design the complete mechanical enclosure (1OU or 2OU shelf) in SolidWorks or Creo: sheet metal chassis, busbar routing, internal structural supports, and external connector interfaces
• Solve the core thermal challenge: power semiconductors and magnetics sharing an enclosure with solid-state battery cells, with directed airflow paths and heat spreaders
• Run CFD simulations to optimize airflow distribution under worst-case conditions and ambient temps
• Design to mechanical specifications: shelf width/depth, connector position, airflow direction, ejector handle, rail interface, weight-per-OU
• Develop hot-swap sled mechanism with insertion/extraction force curves and blind-mate power connector alignment
• Collaborate with battery systems engineer on cell pack mounting and thermal interface materials
• Perform vibration and shock analysis for shipping and seismic requirements
• Lead DFM engagement with contract manufacturers: tolerances, tooling, bend radii, spot welding, assembly sequence
• Support UL 62368-1 mechanical and flammability requirements
• Interface with hyperscaler mechanical integration teams during qualification reviews

Skills

Thermal enclosure design

Rack-mount systems

CFD simulation

Creo/SolidWorks

Sheet metal design

Vibration analysis

DFM with CM

UL 62368-1 requirements

Hyperscaler collaboration

Education

Bachelor’s degree in engineering

Master’s degree

Ph.D. in related field

Tools

SolidWorks

Creo

Ansys Icepak

FloTHERM

6SigmaET

ISTA 3-series

GR-63-CORE

Job description

QuantumScape is on a mission to transform energy storage with solid-state lithium-metal battery technology. The company’s next-generation batteries are designed to enable greater energy density, faster charging and enhanced safety to support the transition away from legacy energy sources toward a lower carbon future.

About the role: As Thermal/ Mechanical Engineer, you own the physical design of the product. You translate circuit boards and battery packs into a manufacturable shelf that fits the rack, survives the data center environment, and can be serviced by a technician in seconds.

Why this role matters: Hyperscalers don't negotiate on rack geometry. If the shelf doesn't fit, doesn't cool, or can't be serviced in seconds, it doesn't get evaluated- regardless of how good the electrical design is. You are also the company's primary interface to the hyperscaler's mechanical integration team during qualification. Your design fluency with their unwritten preferences (not just the published specs) can compress the qualification timeline by months. In a product where power electronics and battery cells share a tight enclosure, you are the person who makes coexistence physically possible.

What you'll do:

• Design the complete mechanical enclosure (1OU or 2OU shelf) in SolidWorks or Creo: sheet metal chassis, busbar routing, internal structural supports, and external connector interfaces
• Solve the core thermal challenge: power semiconductors and magnetics (tolerant to 100-125°C junction) sharing an enclosure with solid-state battery cells (requiring sub-45-60°C operation) - via directed airflow paths, thermal isolation zones, heat spreaders, and fan selection
• Run CFD simulations (Ansys Icepak, FloTHERM, or 6SigmaET) to optimize airflow distribution under worst-case conditions: full electrical load, 35-40°C inlet air (ASHRAE A1/A2), fan degradation scenarios
• Design to OCP ORv3 mechanical specifications:shelf width, depth, connector position, airflow direction (front-to-back), ejector handle placement, guide rail interface, and weight-per-OU limits
• Develop the hot-swap sled mechanism with proper insertion/extraction force curves, blind-mate power connector alignment, and guide rail compliance for tool-less serviceability
• Collaborate with the battery systems engineer on cell pack mounting, compression, thermal interface materials, and mechanical isolation within the enclosure
• Perform vibration and shock analysis for shipping (ISTA 3-series) and seismic requirements (GR-63-CORE or Bellcore Zone 4)
• Lead DFM engagement with contract manufacturers: tolerances, tooling, bend radii, spot welding, PEM fastener insertion, and assembly sequence optimization
• Support UL 62368-1 mechanical and flammability requirements (material selection for 94 V-0, spacing, enclosure integrity)
• Interface directly with hyperscaler mechanical integration teams during qualification reviews

What you bring:

• 8+ years designing thermal-mechanical enclosures for rack-mount power, compute, or telecom equipment
• Relevant Bachelor’s degree and 9+ years’ experience or a relevant Master’s degree and 8+ years’ experience or relevant Ph.D. and 5+ years’ experience
• Demonstrated experience with CFD thermal simulation tools (Ansys Icepak, FloTHERM, or 6SigmaET) - not optional
• Proficiency in SolidWorks or Creo for detailed mechanical design
• Sheet metal design for volume manufacturing (bend radii, punching/stamping, spot welding, tolerance stackup analysis)
• Track record of designs that went through contract manufacturing and passed thermal validation in a production or data center environment
• Understanding of airflow management in forced-convection rack environments

Nice to have:

• Direct experience with OCP Open Rack/ ORv3 mechanical specifications
• Prior work on battery pack thermal management (EV, stationary storage, or telecom backup)
• Exposure to liquid cooling or cold plate design (emerging trend for rack power shelves)
• Experience with blind-mate connector integration (Amphenol, TE Connectivity, or Molex high-power connectors)
• Familiarity with UL 62368-1 mechanical/flammability requirements and UL 1973 battery enclosure requirements
• Knowledge of IP67/NEMA ratings for potential edge or outdoor deployment variants
• Experience with vibration/shock testing per ISTA 3-series or GR-63-CORE

ONSITE: This position is required to work onsite 5 days per week to meet the minimum essential duties and requirements of this position. As an on-site R&D and manufacturing operations organization, in-person face to face interaction is essential to building authentic relationships, trust, teamwork, and collaboration.