Thermal Principal Engineer
About The Position
The Principal Thermal Engineer will design and validate advanced thermal solutions for AI, High-Performance Computing (HPC), and enterprise server product lines. The role defines system-level thermal strategy, develops next-generation cooling technologies, and delivers reliable air- and liquid-cooled designs. Thermal Engineering develops compliant thermal design solutions and cross-functional interfaces for computer systems and peripherals. The team performs analysis, feasibility studies, and testing of thermal products, instruments, subassemblies, and packaging for new and existing products, and oversees the introduction of design changes to manufacturing organizations. This position is on the Thermal Engineering team in Round Rock, Texas.
Requirements
- At least 8 years of experience, or equivalent skill, in Mechanical Engineering, Thermal Engineering, or a related field, including experience designing and developing thermal solutions for complex electro-mechanical systems.
- Expertise in thermal management technologies, including heat sinks, cold plates, vapor chambers, fans, airflow management, and liquid cooling systems.
- Experience performing thermal analysis using analytical modeling, CFD, and hands-on validation testing to optimize system performance.
- Demonstrated ability to make system-level thermal architecture decisions balancing thermal performance, acoustics, cost, manufacturability, and reliability requirements.
- Proven experience collaborating cross-functionally with mechanical engineering teams, suppliers, and ODM/JDM partners to deliver products from concept through production.
Nice To Haves
- Advanced degree in Mechanical Engineering, Thermal Engineering, Heat Transfer, or a related discipline.
- Experience developing thermal solutions for enterprise servers, AI/HPC platforms, or data center infrastructure, including liquid cooling and rack-level thermal management technologies.
- Experience working with CREO.
- Experience with air and liquid cooling in the server industry.
- Knowledge of cooling requirements for GPUs and CPUs.
Responsibilities
- Architect system-level thermal solutions, including cold plates, heat sinks, vapor chambers, fans, and airflow or coolant pathways.
- Conduct analytical modeling, Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) simulations, and empirical testing.
- Drive thermal architecture decisions that balance performance, acoustics, cost, and long-term reliability.
- Collaborate with mechanical engineering teams, suppliers, and Original Design Manufacturer (ODM) / Joint Design Manufacturer (JDM) partners.
- Mentor junior engineers and ensure compliance with Dell quality and sustainability standards.
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Principal
Education Level
No Education Listed
