Staff Thermal Engineer

CHAOS Industries•El Segundo, CA

1d•$150,000 - $230,000•Onsite

About The Position

CHAOS Industries is seeking a Staff Thermal Engineer to perform thermal and fluid-flow analysis of electronic components, circuit card assemblies (CCAs), and electronic enclosures. The role spans design trades, detailed analysis, hardware integration, qualification, and production support. The engineer will analyze heat transfer and internal fluid flow involving air and liquid coolants in cabinets, coldplates, and heat exchangers, and work closely with electrical and mechanical designers to improve thermal performance and resolve design challenges. The role also includes planning and supporting tests, reducing test data, and correlating thermal models with test results. This is a full-time, on-site position in El Segundo, California. The requisition may be considered at a lower or higher job level; final level and grade depend on relevant experience, skills, and qualifications. CHAOS Industries develops defense products powered by Coherent Distributed Networks (CDN™). Founded in 2022, the company has raised $1 billion and is headquartered in Los Angeles, with offices in Washington, D.C., San Francisco, San Diego, and London. The company reports more than 500 employees across five global offices.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering or a related STEM field and 7+ years of relevant experience.
Hands-on experience performing electronics thermal analysis using ANSYS Icepak.
Strong working knowledge of heat transfer, thermodynamics, and fluid mechanics.
Experience analyzing thermal performance of electronic components, circuit boards, or enclosures.
Ability to perform engineering hand calculations and assess when detailed simulation is needed.
Experience analyzing liquid-cooled coldplates and heat exchangers.
Experience with forced-air cooling, flow distribution, pressure-drop analysis, and fan performance.
Strong technical communication skills and ability to work independently across engineering disciplines.
Ability to obtain and maintain a U.S. security clearance.

Nice To Haves

Master’s degree in Mechanical Engineering or a related field.
Experience with Macroflow, STAR-CCM+, NX thermal, or other thermal or CFD software.
Experience planning or supporting thermal tests, reducing test data, or correlating analysis models.
Experience with aerospace, defense, or other high-reliability electronic systems.
Familiarity with MIL-STD-810, RTCA/DO-160, or VITA-48.

Responsibilities

Perform hand calculations and detailed thermal analyses of electronic components, CCAs, and enclosures.
Develop and use ANSYS Icepak models for electronics cooling and internal air and liquid coolant flow.
Analyze cooling systems that include cabinets, coldplates, heat exchangers, and related hardware.
Assess temperatures, flow distribution, pressure drop, and thermal margins across expected operating conditions.
Define model inputs, assumptions, and boundary conditions, and communicate their effect on results.
Provide practical thermal design guidance to electrical and mechanical designers.
Identify thermal risks and recommend design changes in collaboration with multidisciplinary teams.
Participate in design and peer reviews.
Plan and support thermal tests, analyze test data, and correlate models with test results.
Support board and system bring-up, qualification, troubleshooting, and production issues.
Document analysis methods, assumptions, results, and recommendations.