Thermal Sciences Associate — Lab & Field Impact

Exponent; Los Angeles (CA); On-site; USD 140,000 - 160,000; Full time

Job summary

Exponent seeks a Thermal Sciences Associate or Senior Associate in Los Angeles to apply engineering and scientific methods to problems involving fluid mechanics, heat transfer, thermodynamics, and combustion.

You will grow in technical consulting, communicate effectively, and develop deep expertise to serve clients. Travel >15% may be required; office-based in LA. PhD preferred with strong lab and field experience valued.

Qualifications

• Ph.D. in Mechanical, Aerospace, or Chemical Engineering with a practical and theoretical understanding of fluid mechanics, heat transfer, and thermodynamics.
• Presently legally authorized to work in the United States. No immigration sponsorship or processing required.
• Experience in development of experimental design, construction of experimental apparatus, instrumentation, data acquisition and data analysis.
• Strong desire and ability to conduct hands‑on laboratory and field work.
• Demonstrated leadership skills and proven ability to work in a multidisciplinary environment.
• Outstanding verbal and written communication skills.
• Willingness to travel, sometimes on short notice (>15%).
• Must be willing and able to work from the office in Los Angeles, CA.

Responsibilities

• Planning experimental investigations and executing laboratory tests.
• Researching published literature.
• Conducting field inspections.
• Performing engineering calculations and analysis and distilling complex data.
• Preparing proposals and technical reports, and presenting findings to clients.
• Managing projects and maintaining efficiency under deadlines.
• Communicating effectively with team members and clients.
• Gathering information from and conveying technical conclusions to individuals with varied backgrounds including engineering, the legal profession, business and industry.

Skills

Lab work

Leadership

Communication

Travel >15%

Office in LA

Multidisciplinary

Client development

Problem solving

Education

Ph.D. in Mechanical/Aerospace/Chemical Eng.

Tools

MATLAB

Python

R

Job description

Exponent seeks a Thermal Sciences Associate or Senior Associate in Los Angeles to apply engineering and scientific methods to problems involving fluid mechanics, heat transfer, thermodynamics, and combustion.

You will grow in technical consulting, communicate effectively, and develop deep expertise to serve clients. Travel >15% may be required; office-based in LA. PhD preferred with strong lab and field experience valued.