Thermal Systems Fellow

Johnson Controls, Inc.; New Freedom (York County); Hybrid; USD 180,000 - 260,000; Full time

Job summary

Johnson Controls, Inc. seeks a Data Center Thermal Systems Fellow to lead enterprise thermal strategy across divisions and partners.

You will set direction for thermal technology, reconciling platforms and guiding cross-divisional alignment, acting as a corporate technical advisor for strategic planning. The role requires a Master’s in Mechanical Engineering, 18+ years of experience, and global leadership across thermal domains, with expertise in data center cooling architectures and advanced

Qualifications

• Master’s degree in Mechanical Engineering required.
• 18+ years of industry experience in thermal technology.
• Global technical leadership with cross-divisional influence.
• Data center cooling architecture experience including direct liquid cooling.

Responsibilities

• Set technical direction for enterprise thermal strategy across the organization.
• Lead cross-divisional thermal platform alignment and planning.
• Define architecture and strategies for platform reconciliation with partners.
• Mentor senior engineers and advise on corporate strategic planning.

Skills

Global leadership

Thermal technology

Data center cooling

Cross-domain engineering

Mentoring engineers

Strategy development

Education

Master’s degree in Mechanical Engineering

Ph.D. preferred

Tools

CAD (SolidWorks/Creo)

MATLAB/Simulink

CFD tools (ANSYS/Star-CCM+/OpenFOAM)

Job description

What you will do

Johnson Controls’ Data Center Product Architecture team is seeking a Data Center Thermal Systems Fellow for the Advanced Technology & Innovation group. You will be an acknowledged global technical and business leader for thermal technology at Johnson Controls. This role sets technical direction for thermal technology strategy across the organization, leads cross-divisional thermal platform alignment, and develops technical strategies for reconciling and assimilating thermal system and product platforms across divisions, the corporation, and with external partners. The Fellow operates with wide latitude for un-reviewed decisions and serves as a corporate technical advisor for strategic planning. This position is based onsite, minimum 3 days per week, at our Advanced Technology and Innovation Center located in New Freedom, PA. Candidates must be commuting distance to the facility or able to relocate.

How you will do it

Drive long-range planning of enterprise thermal system strategies globally; lead system-level planning on corporate collaborative initiatives
Define corporate thermal integration strategy; lead cross-divisional thermal platform alignment
Define corporate thermal system architecture strategy; develop technical strategies for platform reconciliation across divisions and partners
Set technical direction for thermal technology across the organization with wide latitude for decision-making
Focus on state of the industry and strategic business objectives; industry thought leader
Technical advisor for corporate strategic planning; mentor Sr Staff and Lead Staff Engineers globally

What you will need

Required
Master’s degree required preferably in Mechanical Engineering
18+ years experience recognized across the industry
Corporate thermal technology expert with advanced understanding of thermal technology interactions across product platforms and market applications
Acknowledged global technical/business leader with corporate influence on inter-divisional initiatives
Data center cooling architecture industry knowledge and experience(direct liquid cooling, rear-door heat exchangers, CDUs)
Enterprise thermal systems expert
Expert in multiple technical domains (thermal, controls, electrical, mechanical)
Microsoft 365/Excel (including basic macros/VBA for data analysis and reporting)
CAD proficiency (SolidWorks, Creo, or equivalent)
Engineering calculations and documentation (MathCAD, EES, or equivalent)
Heat transfer analysis (conduction, convection, two-phase)
Strong cross-domain knowledge across thermal, controls, electrical systems—generalists with 80% mastery across domains highly valued
Thermodynamic cycle analysis
Fluid mechanics and hydraulic system design
Thermal system component sizing and selection
Prototype fabrication and hands-on testing
Cross-functional project execution

Preferred
Ph.D.
Software/Simulation experience
Python scripting and environment management (package installation, virtual environments, basic automation)
CFD (ANSYS Fluent, Star-CCM+, OpenFOAM, or equivalent)
FEA (ANSYS Mechanical, Abaqus, or equivalent)
MATLAB/Simulink for system modeling and controls
Controls fundamentals (feedback loops, PID tuning, system response)
Electrical systems basics (motor sizing, VFDs, power distribution)
Refrigeration system design and refrigerant properties
Data center cooling architectures (direct liquid cooling, rear-door heat exchangers, CDUs)
Expert in one or more thermal domains (CDU, chiller, dry cooler, cold plate systems)