Intern, Thermal Modeling & Simulation Engineer (AI Memory / HBM)
About The Position
Samsung’s Power & Thermal Lab is seeking a thermal engineering intern to build and calibrate models of HBM stacks and packages. The intern will own a component of the lab’s thermal-modeling platform, progressing from the physics and CFD reference model to a validated compact model that architecture, power, and package teams can use for design decisions. The models support future HBM product design and aim to produce transient temperature maps much faster than full CFD simulations while maintaining close agreement with CFD accuracy. The intern will work with authentic data and partners in a collaborative team of hardware, software, and thermal experts. The position is based at Samsung’s San Jose headquarters and requires daily onsite presence, in alignment with the company’s Flexible Work policy. The role reports to the SVP, R&D (Power & Thermal Lab).
Requirements
- Pursuing a PhD or Master’s degree in Mechanical Engineering, Materials Science, Electrical Engineering, Applied Physics, or a related field; at least one academic quarter or semester must remain.
- Strong foundation in heat transfer, especially transient conduction in multilayer solids and thermal contact resistance.
- Hands-on experience with numerical methods such as finite-volume, finite-element, or finite-difference methods.
- Scientific programming experience in Python and/or MATLAB.
- Ability to critically assess simulation results, including mesh convergence, boundary conditions, and energy balance, and explain discrepancies between models.
- Inclusive, adaptable, curious, resilient, collaborative, supportive, open to different approaches, innovative, and creative.
Nice To Haves
- PhD degree (preferred).
- Experience with Simcenter Flotherm, Ansys Icepak/Fluent, or COMSOL.
- Experience with compact or reduced-order thermal models, model-order reduction, or machine-learning surrogates for physical simulation.
- Background in electronics packaging, 3D-IC or chiplet thermal management, or advanced cooling.
- Familiarity with HPC, sparse linear solvers, or GPU programming.
Responsibilities
- Build and calibrate Simcenter Flotherm CFD models of HBM stacks and packages under realistic cooling conditions and use them as reference models.
- Extend the compact thermal model to new stack heights, die configurations, and base-die power, and quantify accuracy against CFD in steady-state and transient conditions.
- Develop homogenization methods that represent TSV arrays, micro-bump layers, and underfill using effective properties, and establish where these methods are valid.
- Accelerate thermal solvers using techniques such as model-order reduction, sparse linear algebra and preconditioning, GPU acceleration, or machine-learning surrogates.
- Run transient simulations driven by AI workload traces, identify spatiotemporal hotspots, and explore thermal-aware policies such as throttling, refresh control, and power-map scheduling.
- Evaluate cooling and thermal-interface options, including cold plates, two-phase cooling, TIMs, and backside cooling, and translate them into boundary conditions and design guidance for HBM.
- Couple the thermal model with the lab’s trace-driven power simulation engine so power maps and temperature maps evolve together over time.
- Document methods and results and present them to engineers and lab leadership.
- Complete other responsibilities as assigned.
Benefits
- Medical, dental, and vision benefits.
- Relocation stipend for eligible employees living more than 50 miles from the new office.
- Monthly housing stipend for eligible summer interns signing a new lease.
- Charitable giving match and opportunities to participate in community activities.
- On-demand emotional wellness apps and paid therapy sessions.
- Onsite café and gym, plus virtual fitness classes.
- Flexible work environment.
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What This Job Offers
Career Level
Intern
