Lead Engineer

Opticool Technologies • Town of Webster, NY

1d

About The Position

We are seeking a highly experienced Lead Engineer to lead the design, development, and optimization of Coolant Distribution Units (CDUs) for hyperscale data center environments. This role is central to enabling next-generation liquid cooling solutions for AI and high-density compute, with a strong emphasis on maximizing heat extraction capacity per unit footprint and volume. A key focus of this role is to innovate and develop new heat extraction approaches, including the application of refrigerant-based and CO₂-based cooling technologies, to push beyond the limits of traditional water-based CDU systems.

Requirements

• Bachelor's or Master's degree in Mechanical, Thermal, or Chemical Engineering (or related field)
• 10+ years of experience in thermal-fluid systems, including liquid and/or refrigerant-based cooling
• Demonstrated experience with two-phase heat transfer, refrigeration cycles, or advanced cooling technologies
• Experience designing for high heat flux and space-constrained environments
• Proven ability to innovate and bring new thermal management concepts from idea to prototype
• Proficiency with CAD and advanced simulation tools (CFD, two-phase modeling where applicable)

Nice To Haves

• Experience with refrigerants (e.g., HFOs, HFCs) and CO₂ (R-744) cooling systems in industrial or data center applications
• Familiarity with ASHRAE standards (including refrigerant safety classifications) and Open Compute Project liquid cooling initiatives
• Knowledge of direct-to-chip, immersion cooling, and hybrid cooling architectures
• Experience addressing regulatory, safety, and environmental constraints (pressure systems, refrigerant handling, low-GWP requirements)
• Background in system controls for managing dynamic thermal loads and phase-change systems
• Experience working with hyperscalers or next-gen data center infrastructure providers

Responsibilities

• Lead end-to-end design of CDU systems supporting hyperscale deployments, including primary/secondary loop architecture
• Define system requirements aligned with hyperscalers priorities: maximum kW removed per CDU footprint, rack density scaling, and floor space efficiency
• Design and integrate high-performance components: pumps, compact heat exchangers, manifolds, filtration systems, and controls
• Optimize CDU designs for maximum heat transfer per square foot (kW/ft²) and per unit volume (kW/m³)
• Drive innovation in advanced heat extraction technologies, including: Two-phase cooling systems (boiling/evaporative heat transfer), Refrigerant-based direct expansion (DX) or pumped refrigerant loops, Trans critical and subcritical CO₂ cooling systems, Hybrid liquid–refrigerant architectures for ultra-high heat flux applications
• Evaluate and implement phase-change cooling strategies to significantly increase heat transfer coefficients and reduce system footprint
• Lead feasibility studies comparing water vs. dielectric fluids vs. refrigerants vs. CO₂ for performance, safety, cost, and scalability
• Address system challenges including pressure management, leak mitigation, safety compliance, and material compatibility for refrigerant/CO₂ systems
• Conduct advanced thermal and fluid modeling (including two-phase flow and phase-change dynamics)
• Optimize system-level tradeoffs between heat extraction capability, energy efficiency, and mechanical complexity
• Develop CDU concepts capable of supporting 100–300+ kW per rack and future scaling beyond
• Ensure compliance with evolving environmental and regulatory considerations (low-GWP refrigerants, sustainability goals)
• Collaborate with hyperscale customers and partners to align next-generation CDU architectures with future infrastructure roadmap
• Lead prototyping and validation of novel cooling architectures, including lab-scale and full-scale demonstrations

Benefits

• Lead innovation at the frontier of data center cooling evolution beyond water-based systems
• Work on breakthrough technologies enabling future AI infrastructure
• Influence industry direction toward higher efficiency and sustainable cooling solutions
• Collaborate with leading hyperscalers and technology innovators

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior