Remote Principal Thermal Engineer for Data Centers

Placements24; Rustenburg; Hybrid; ZAR 1,200,000 - 2,100,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive salary

Health coverage

Retirement plan

Paid time off

Professional development

Job summary

Placements24 is seeking a Principal Thermal Management Engineer for a remote-first role to design and optimize cooling solutions for high-density data centers globally.

The candidate will hold a Master’s or Ph.D. in thermal sciences with 10+ years of experience, expert CFD skills (ANSYS Fluent, STAR-CCM+), and proven leadership in remote teams. The role combines technical depth with strategic influence on future products.

Qualifications

• Master's or Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or a closely related field with a specialization in thermal sciences.
• 10+ years of experience in thermal management design and analysis, with a strong focus on IT equipment, data centers, or high-performance computing.
• Expert-level proficiency in CFD software (e.g., ANSYS Fluent, STAR-CCM+) and thermal modeling tools.
• In-depth knowledge of heat transfer, fluid dynamics, thermodynamics, and psychrometrics.
• Experience designing and validating liquid cooling solutions (direct-to-chip, immersion) is highly desirable.
• Proven ability to lead complex, multi-disciplinary projects in a remote setting.
• Excellent problem-solving, analytical, and communication skills.
• Ability to work independently and manage multiple priorities in a virtual environment.
• Experience with DCIM and energy efficiency standards.

Responsibilities

• Lead the design, development, and validation of advanced thermal management systems for high-performance data centers, including air, liquid, and immersion cooling technologies.
• Conduct detailed thermal analysis using CFD tools (e.g., ANSYS Fluent, STAR-CCM+) to predict and optimize heat dissipation.
• Develop thermal models and simulations for server racks, compute modules, power supplies, and other data center components.
• Collaborate remotely with product development, hardware engineering, and operations teams to integrate thermal solutions seamlessly.
• Define thermal performance specifications, testing protocols, and validation procedures.
• Troubleshoot complex thermal issues in operational data center environments and propose effective solutions.
• Stay at the forefront of emerging thermal management technologies and industry best practices.
• Author comprehensive technical documentation, white papers, and research proposals.
• Mentor and provide technical leadership to other engineers within the thermal team.
• Evaluate and select appropriate cooling hardware and components based on performance, cost, and reliability.

Skills

CFD proficiency

Thermal analysis

Remote collaboration

Project leadership

Education

Master's or PhD in Mechanical/Aerospace Engineering with thermal specialization

Tools

ANSYS Fluent

STAR-CCM+

Thermal modelling tools

Job description

Placements24 is seeking a Principal Thermal Management Engineer for a remote-first role to design and optimize cooling solutions for high-density data centers globally.

The candidate will hold a Master’s or Ph.D. in thermal sciences with 10+ years of experience, expert CFD skills (ANSYS Fluent, STAR-CCM+), and proven leadership in remote teams. The role combines technical depth with strategic influence on future products.