Principal Thermal Design Engineer

Acceler8Talent is proud to partner with a well-funded, VC-backed AI/networking hardware startup in the SF Bay area that’s redefining infrastructure for the world’s largest hyperscalers. Operating under a Joint Development Model (JDM), this company co-develops highly customized networking hardware, software, and optics solutions tailored to the evolving needs of large-scale AI workloads.

With over $110M in funding and rapid expansion underway, they're now looking to hire a Senior Thermal Engineer to help shape the next generation of high-performance systems.

What You’ll Do:

• Design and develop thermal solutions including heatsinks, cold plates, and liquid cooling systems
• Perform thermal modeling and simulations using industry-standard tools
• Lead thermal testing and validation to ensure performance and reliability
• Collaborate with hardware and system teams to integrate thermal designs
• Work with suppliers to deliver high-quality thermal components
• Troubleshoot thermal issues and maintain system reliability
• Stay current on industry trends and emerging cooling technologies

What You Bring:

• B.S. in Mechanical Engineering (M.S. preferred), with focus on heat transfer
• 10+ years in thermal design; 5+ years with datacenter network systems preferred
• Proficient in thermal simulation tools (Flotherm, Flotherm-XT, IcePak)
• Strong understanding of air cooling techniques: vapor chambers, heat pipes, heat sinks, fans, TIMs, and rack-level constraints
• Experience with liquid cooling (preferred, not required)
• Deep knowledge of heat transfer and real-world thermal system design