# Thermal Engineer

**Company**: OpenAI
**Location**: San Francisco, California
**Experience**: senior
**Job type**: full-time
**Salary**: $266K - $445K
**Category**: Engineering
**Industry**: Technology
**Wikidata**: https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q124605186

**Apply**: https://jobs.ashbyhq.com/openai/343d9176-1bd5-48cf-a771-dd4ecf726b77?utm_source=yubhub.co&utm_medium=jobs_feed&utm_campaign=apply
**Canonical**: https://yubhub.co/job/thermal-engineer-030c32bc-3f2/

## Description

OpenAI's Hardware organization develops silicon and system-level solutions for advanced AI workloads.

We are looking for an experienced Thermal Engineer with 7+ years of experience in thermal management of IT hardware from chip/package to system levels.

**Key Responsibilities**

- Design and optimize thermal solutions for data center hardware, including chips, power modules, and system-level cooling architectures.

- Evaluate thermal performance at the chip, package, and board levels, addressing challenges related to power density, heat dissipation, and thermal interface materials.

- Perform thermal modeling and simulation to predict temperature profiles and identify thermal bottlenecks.

- Collaborate with cross-functional teams to integrate thermal management strategies into hardware design, from concept to mass production.

- Support lab testing and validation, including the setup of thermal experiments, data acquisition, and troubleshooting of thermal performance issues.

- Design and select thermal components, such as cold plates, heat sinks, fans, vapor chambers, and thermal interface materials (TIMs).

- Work with firmware and electrical engineers to define and implement thermal control algorithms for dynamic power and cooling management.

- Conduct feasibility studies and trade-off analyses to evaluate cooling technologies and improve system thermal efficiency.

- Partner with suppliers and manufacturers to support the development of custom thermal components and ensure quality in production.

**Qualifications**

- Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering, Thermal Engineering, or a related field (Master’s preferred).

- 7+ years of industry experience in thermal design, simulation, and validation for IT hardware.

- Proficiency in thermal simulation software and CAD tools.

- Strong understanding of heat transfer principles, thermodynamics, and fluid mechanics, with an emphasis on electronics cooling.

- Hands-on experience with thermal testing equipment, including thermocouples, infrared cameras, wind tunnels, and P-Q characterization setups.

- Experience in chip/package-level thermal analysis, including die-level heat spreading, and package thermal modeling.

- Ability to analyze experimental data, identify root causes of thermal issues, and implement corrective actions.

- Strong problem-solving skills, with the ability to perform first-principles calculations to support design decisions.

- Self-driven, detail-oriented, and able to work independently or collaboratively in cross-functional engineering environments.

**Preferred Skills**

- 10+ years of industry experience in thermal design, simulation, and validation for IT hardware.

- Extensive experience with data center hardware or high-performance computing systems at scale.

- Practical experience in developing advanced cooling technologies.

- Familiarity with thermal control algorithms and dynamic thermal management techniques.

- Understanding of reliability testing, failure analysis, and thermal stress testing for electronic components.

- Experience working with suppliers and manufacturing partners to support thermal solution development and production ramp-up.

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## Skills

### Required
- thermal management
- heat transfer
- thermodynamics
- fluid mechanics
- electronics cooling
- thermal simulation software
- CAD tools
- thermal testing equipment

### Nice to have
- data center hardware
- high-performance computing systems
- advanced cooling technologies
- thermal control algorithms
- dynamic thermal management
- reliability testing
- failure analysis
- thermal stress testing

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Source: [Apply at jobs.ashbyhq.com](https://jobs.ashbyhq.com/openai/343d9176-1bd5-48cf-a771-dd4ecf726b77?utm_source=yubhub.co&utm_medium=jobs_feed&utm_campaign=apply)