Principal Thermal Engineer — Lead CFD & Industrial Systems

Placements24; Durban; Hybrid; ZAR 2,400,000 - 3,200,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical and dental coverage

Retirement savings plan

Paid vacation and leave

Professional development and training

Job summary

Placements24 in Durban, South Africa, is seeking a Principal Thermal Engineer to lead thermal design and analysis for high-performance industrial machinery. The role focuses on CFD-driven optimization, thermodynamics, heat transfer, and mentorship of a technical team.

You will drive advanced thermal solutions across challenging global projects. Ideal candidates hold a PhD or Master in Mechanical Engineering with a thermodynamics/heat transfer specialty, and have 12+ years of experience, strong

Qualifications

• Ph.D. or Master’s in Mechanical Engineering with Thermodynamics/Heat Transfer focus.
• 12+ years of advanced thermal engineering experience in industrial machinery or complex systems.
• Proficiency with CFD software and pre/post-processing tools.
• Strong leadership, mentoring, and communication skills.

Responsibilities

• Lead the design, analysis, and optimization of thermal systems in industrial machinery.
• Develop and validate thermal models using CFD and analytical methods.
• Define thermal requirements for new product development and validate against specs.
• Mentor junior engineers and oversee project execution from concept to completion.
• Prepare technical reports, design reviews, and proposals for management and clients.
• Ensure compliance with relevant safety standards and industry regulations.

Skills

CFD analysis

Thermodynamics

Heat transfer

Numerical modeling

Data acquisition

Mentoring

Project leadership

Technical reporting

Education

PhD in Mechanical Engineering (Thermodynamics/Heat Transfer)

Master's in Mechanical Engineering (Thermodynamics/Heat Transfer)

Tools

ANSYS Fluent

Star-CCM+

Job description

Placements24 in Durban, South Africa, is seeking a Principal Thermal Engineer to lead thermal design and analysis for high-performance industrial machinery. The role focuses on CFD-driven optimization, thermodynamics, heat transfer, and mentorship of a technical team.

You will drive advanced thermal solutions across challenging global projects. Ideal candidates hold a PhD or Master in Mechanical Engineering with a thermodynamics/heat transfer specialty, and have 12+ years of experience, strong