Senior Thermal Engineer, Research & Development

Qnity•Sunnyvale, CA

27d•$99,120 - $155,760•Onsite

About The Position

Qnity’s Silicon Valley Technology Center (SVTC) is seeking a Senior Thermal Engineer for its customer-facing, leveraged R&D organization. The engineer will serve as the local subject matter expert in thermal engineering and collaborate with other engineering specialists and laboratory teams to address Silicon Valley customers’ electronic materials challenges. The position provides technical leadership in planning and executing research and development programs, including scale-up, in thermal materials engineering, heat transfer, and mechanical design for advanced electronics and semiconductor applications. The work responds to internal and external customer needs, especially in high-performance and electronic systems. The engineer will help develop next-generation thermal management solutions, including thermal interface materials, heat spreaders, encapsulants, and advanced composites, and identify commercial value through expertise in heat transfer, thermal conductivity enhancement, and structure–property–performance relationships. The role involves close collaboration with cross-functional teams, customer engagement, project leadership, technical training, and mentoring. Travel of up to 20% may be required to support customer projects. The position is on-site, and the stated annual pay range is $99,120 to $155,760.

Requirements

Master’s degree in mechanical engineering or a closely related field.
2–3 years of directly applicable engineering work experience with thermal materials and thermal management technologies.
Demonstrated expertise in thermal interface materials (TIMs), gap fillers, phase-change materials, dielectric materials, or thermally conductive composites for electronics applications.
Expertise in thermal design, characterization, reliability testing, and process development using thermal materials, including TIM 1, 1.5, and 2 materials.
Knowledge of structure–property relationships in thermally conductive materials, including particle-filled systems, hybrid materials, and anisotropic heat conduction designs.
Strong fundamentals in heat transfer, phase-change materials, thermal modeling, and thermal characterization techniques.
Proficiency with thermal and thermomechanical design and modeling software such as Ansys, COMSOL, SolidWorks, or AutoCAD.
Proficiency with thermal characterization tools and methods such as LFA, DSC, TGA, IR thermography, TIM testers, Phase 12, or hot disk.
Strong technical curiosity, ability to learn quickly, and comfort working outside core areas of expertise and with cross-functional teams.
Strong analytical, communication, and interpersonal skills.
Track record of successful customer engagement and project leadership.
Familiarity with project management practices such as Agile or Stage Gate.
Experience working with national and international testing standards such as JEDEC, IPC, and ASTM.
Ability and willingness to travel as required to support customer projects, up to 20%.

Nice To Haves

Ph.D. in mechanical engineering or a closely related field.
3 or more years of directly applicable engineering work experience.
Experience with semiconductor packaging, power electronics cooling, or high-performance computing thermal challenges.
Experience working with or for Silicon Valley companies in relevant industries such as consumer electronics, aerospace and defense, automotive, robotics, telecommunications, or data centers.
Desire to translate research into commercial thermal solutions, with a results-oriented mindset.
Excellent project management, planning, prioritization, and leadership skills, with strong communication and presentation abilities for technical and non-technical stakeholders.
Active participation in national, regional, or local professional societies and conferences, such as ASME or SEMI-THERM.
Patent and publication history in relevant technical domains.
Award-winning contributions to R&D organizations.

Responsibilities

Lead applications development projects related to mechanical design and mechanical systems for local customers.
Drive customer solutions from concept through commercialization.
Collaborate with other SVTC subject matter experts to solve customer problems.
Respond to customer needs and opportunities, adapting as priorities evolve.
Engage with Silicon Valley customers to understand their needs and support development of their next-generation technology.
Connect the broader Qnity R&D organization with local Silicon Valley opportunities and provide regional leadership in mechanical and thermal engineering expertise.
Represent Qnity SVTC in industry consortia and at conferences.
Deliver technical training and seminars to internal teams and external partners as needed.
Mentor junior engineers and support their technical and professional development.
Plan and execute R&D programs, including scale-up, in thermal materials engineering, heat transfer, and mechanical design.
Contribute to the development of thermal management solutions such as thermal interface materials, heat spreaders, encapsulants, and advanced composite systems.