Thermal Lab Lead

Etched • San Jose, CA

4d • Onsite

About The Position

Etched is seeking a Thermal Lab Lead to build and maintain a world-class thermal lab supporting tests of thermal assemblies for high-performance data center products. The role supports product development by working with engineers to enable testing and validation of thermal designs, and partnering with lab operations on lab buildouts and deployment of cooling distribution units (CDUs) and liquid-cooled racks. The lead will coordinate with thermal technicians, plan and delegate tests, and help meet aggressive timelines. The position requires hands-on ownership, attention to detail, and strong organizational skills.

The role is fully in person in San Jose (Santana Row). The Thermal Lab Lead will also assist in designing and building Etched thermal labs in Taiwan.

Requirements

• Relevant technical education, such as an associate’s degree, technical diploma, or bachelor’s degree in engineering, engineering technology, mechatronics, instrumentation, or a related field, or equivalent hands-on experience.
• Hands-on experience testing single-phase liquid-cooled assemblies, including cold plates, manifolds, quick disconnects, and CDUs.
• Experience selecting, installing, and troubleshooting instrumentation such as flowmeters, thermocouples, and pressure transducers, and operating chillers and liquid-cooling test equipment.
• Ability to independently build and troubleshoot test setups, assess measurement quality, and document reliable results.
• Working knowledge of heat transfer and fluid flow sufficient to interpret test results and troubleshoot thermal-fluid systems.
• Experience developing, debugging, and validating test automation and data-analysis workflows.
• Experience coordinating competing testing priorities and providing technical direction to technicians.
• Excellent organizational and documentation skills.

Responsibilities

• Lead day-to-day thermal lab operations, including test benches, equipment, and consumables inventory.
• Develop test plans and procedures in partnership with thermal engineering.
• Own test setup, instrumentation, execution, data-quality review, and reporting against agreed objectives and acceptance criteria.
• Develop, maintain, and validate automation tools for test execution, data acquisition, and data reduction and analysis.
• Coordinate testing requests across teams, establish priorities with stakeholders, and forecast equipment, capacity, and staffing bottlenecks.
• Lead thermal technicians, assign testing activities, provide technical guidance, and review completed work.
• Maintain lab procedures and coordinate equipment maintenance, calibration, and safe operating practices with lab operations.
• Partner with lab operations to plan future lab capabilities, equipment, and infrastructure.
• Assist with installation, integration, and commissioning of primary and secondary cooling loops in partnership with facilities, lab operations, equipment vendors, and qualified contractors.
• Assemble thermal test vehicles, including wiring and soldering PCBs and heaters.
• Commission CDUs and liquid-cooled racks to support lab testing.
• Assist in the design and buildout of Etched thermal labs in Taiwan.

Benefits

• Medical, dental, and vision packages with generous premium coverage.
• $500 per month credit for waiving medical benefits.
• Housing subsidy of $2,500 per month for those living within walking distance of the office.
• Relocation support for those moving to San Jose (Santana Row).
• Wellness benefits covering fitness, mental health, and more.
• Daily lunch and dinner in the office.
• Unlimited compute budget subject to ROI justification.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior
• Education Level: Associate degree