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Thermal /Mechanical Hybrid Engineer

Etched· Platform
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San JoseFull-timePosted 3mo ago

About the role

We are seeking a highly experienced Thermal/Mechanical Engineer to design direct-to-chip cold plate modules and optimize thermal management for high-performance data center products, including water cooling, thermal simulations, and mechanical design.

Responsibilities

  • Lead the in-house design and optimization of various direct-to-chip cold plate modules
  • Lead the design and optimization of thermal management systems for high-performance data center products, focusing on water cooling solutions and advanced cooling concepts
  • Cover both the thermal and mechanical engineering design
  • Be very familiar with the key components of a cold plate, including but not limited to pedestals, nozzles, pedestals, internal fin designs (e.g. skived fins), etc.
  • Develop and implement water cooling solutions, including internal manifolds, quick disconnects, CDUs (Coolant Distribution Units), and heat exchangers. Ensure effective cooling and thermal management for high-power processors and other critical components
  • Candidate must be able to run liquid thermal simulations to predict and analyze thermal performance of the heat exchanger
  • Must be familiar with the mechanical design, fabrication, and mechanical assembly of the cold plate.
  • Evaluate and select thermal interface materials (TIMs) for various heat sinks and cooling solutions. Optimize TIM performance to enhance thermal conductivity and heat dissipation.
  • Explore and implement advanced thermal cooling concepts, including phase change cooling, liquid cooling, and other cutting-edge technologies.
  • Oversee the testing and validation of thermal management systems to ensure they meet performance, reliability, and efficiency standards. Address any issues related to thermal performance and provide solutions.
  • Create and maintain comprehensive documentation for thermal management designs, including design specifications, simulation results, and testing reports. Report on performance and any issues identified during testing.
  • Work closely with cross-functional teams, including mechanical engineers, electrical systems engineers, and vendors, to ensure seamless integration and operation of thermal management solutions.

Qualifications

  • A Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering or Thermal Engineering, or a related field. Advanced degrees or certifications in thermal management or related areas are highly desirable.
  • A Minimum of 5 years of experience in thermal and mechanical engineering with a strong focus on water cooling systems and advanced thermal management solutions.
  • Strong expertise in mechanical design
  • Proven expertise in designing and managing direct-to-processor cooling systems and thermal simulations.
  • Extensive experience with cold plate designs, water cooling systems, including internal manifolds, quick disconnects, CDUs, and heat exchangers
  • Proficiency in mechanical tolerances and generating mechanical drawings using GD&T
  • Proficiency in mechanical CAD software and tools such as NX, Creo, CATIA, or similar is required
  • Apply DFM and DFA principles to optimize designs for cost-effective manufacturing, assembly, and maintenance, ensuring high efficiency and reduced production costs.
  • Proven expertise in designing and managing direct-to-processor cold plate modules
  • Proficiency in thermal simulation tools such as Fluent and techniques to predict and analyze thermal performance of heat exchangers
  • Knowledge of various thermal interface materials (TIMs) and heat sink designs
  • Experience with advanced thermal cooling concepts and technologies.

Skills

Required:Thermal design and optimizationWater cooling system designThermal simulationsMechanical design and CAD

Benefits

  • Medical, dental, and vision packages with generous premium coverage
  • $500 per month credit for waiving medical benefits
  • Housing subsidy of $2,500 per month for those living within walking distance of the office
  • Relocation support for those moving to San Jose (Santana Row)
  • Various wellness benefits covering fitness, mental health, and more
  • Daily lunch + dinner in our office
  • Unlimited compute budget subject to ROI justification
Last updated Sep 17, 2026. Interested? Apply on the company site.
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About Etched

Etched is building frontier inference clusters: co-designs chips, racks, software and manufacturing to push the pareto frontier for AI hardware.

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