Let’s get started
By clicking ‘Next’, I agree to the Terms of Service
and Privacy Policy, and consent to receive emails from Rise
Jobs / Job page
Thermal Engineering Technical Leader image - Rise Careers
Job details

Thermal Engineering Technical Leader


$160,000 - $240,000 a year
Thermal Engineering Technical Leader
Location: San Jose, CA (Hybrid – minimum 3 days onsite/week)
Compensation: $168K – $241K base + bonus + potential RSUs
Employment Type: Full-time | Direct Hire
Industry: Hardware / Data Center / Networking Systems
Client: Confidential Global Technology Leader

Overview
A global hardware leader is seeking a Thermal Engineering Technical Leader to drive next-generation cooling solutions for high-performance compute and networking systems. This role requires deep experience with liquid and air cooling technologies, strong technical leadership, and the ability to work across engineering, operations, and supply chain teams.

You will lead the evaluation, design, validation, and qualification of thermal solutions at the product level, including cold plates, CDUs, heat sinks, vapor chambers, and interface materials. The ideal candidate will have experience in productizing thermal systems, not just lab validation or simulation.

Responsibilities
Lead development and qualification of advanced thermal solutions for ASICs, optics, and power systems
Own thermal system architecture: modeling, simulation, prototyping, and testing
Work directly with suppliers and manufacturers on component integration, test plans, and performance validation
Define design parameters and correlate test results with simulations and models
Collaborate with hardware design, mechanical, and reliability teams to ensure system-level thermal integrity
Contribute to long-term thermal roadmap for new platforms

Required Qualifications
Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical or Chemical Engineering (Master’s preferred)
8–15+ years of experience designing thermal solutions for electronic systems
Strong background in liquid cooling systems: cold plates, CDUs, manifolds, pumps
Hands-on experience with system-level thermal validation and testing
Proficient in CFD tools, thermal simulation, and design-to-test correlation
Experience with TIM materials, vapor chambers, and high-power air cooling technologies

Preferred Attributes
Experience bringing liquid cooling products to market (not just concept or R&D)
Knowledge of component packaging technologies: BGA, Flip-Chip, 2.5D/3D
Experience with qualification methods, failure analysis, and system reliability
Effective communicator with ability to present thermal findings to executive teams
Collaborative mindset; able to influence across cross-functional teams

Work Environment
Onsite Hybrid: Must be onsite in San Jose 3+ days per week
Relocation: Considered for exceptional candidates
High-visibility team with ownership of next-gen platform design
Strategic alignment with AI and high-performance computing innovations

Average salary estimate

$200000 / YEARLY (est.)
min
max
$160000K
$240000K

If an employer mentions a salary or salary range on their job, we display it as an "Employer Estimate". If a job has no salary data, Rise displays an estimate if available.

Similar Jobs
Photo of the Rise User
Posted 22 hours ago

MacKay & Somps is hiring a Summer 2026 Student Engineer in Pleasanton to support land development and public infrastructure designs while building CAD, hydrology, and field experience.

Photo of the Rise User
Posted 3 hours ago

Lead architecture and implementation of high-performance FPGA-based image/video processing pipelines for Intuitive’s robotic imaging systems, collaborating with vision and EE teams to deliver low-latency, production-grade solutions.

Posted 17 hours ago

Experienced device engineer needed to lead design, verification/validation, and lifecycle management of regulated combination products at Takeda's Lexington site.

Posted 3 hours ago

Develop and validate high-performance, radiation-tolerant FPGA designs for Aetherflux's space-based power and communications systems.

Photo of the Rise User
Posted 6 hours ago

Field Service Engineer 2 responsible for installing, maintaining, and repairing Intuitive's robotic surgical systems in the San Francisco territory while delivering high-quality technical support and customer service.

Photo of the Rise User
Mission Driven
Social Impact Driven
Passion for Exploration
Reward & Recognition

SpaceX seeks a Sr. RF Systems Analysis Engineer to lead RF interference, constellation modeling, and regulatory strategy work for Starlink.

Photo of the Rise User
Smiths Group Hybrid Baton Rouge, LA, USA
Posted 14 hours ago

Join John Crane's Baton Rouge engineering team to provide hands-on mechanical seal application support, CAD drawing generation, and failure analysis for sales and aftermarket customers.

Photo of the Rise User
Kioxia Hybrid 35 Iron Point Cir, Folsom, CA 95630, USA
Posted 19 hours ago

Experienced SSD debug engineer needed to drive root-cause analysis and resolution of complex NVMe/PCIe SSD issues for KIOXIA's data center SSD product line.

Photo of the Rise User
Posted 10 hours ago
Mission Driven
Social Impact Driven
Passion for Exploration
Reward & Recognition

Lead detailed electrical design and commissioning of high-power distribution systems, switchgear, UPS, and generators for SpaceX’s Hawthorne manufacturing facilities as a Sr. Power Systems Engineer on the MEP team.

Photo of the Rise User

AECOM is hiring a Traffic/ITS Engineering Leader in the DFW area to lead project delivery, grow municipal and regional traffic/ITS services, and drive business development.

Photo of the Rise User

Experienced Field Engineer needed to commission and troubleshoot power electronic and motor drive systems for TMEIC’s Energy & Infrastructure projects, with heavy domestic and international travel.

Photo of the Rise User
Loram Hybrid Hamel, MN, United States
Posted 9 hours ago

Experienced Test Engineer III needed to lead complex mechanical, electrical, and fluid systems testing and data-driven reliability improvements for Loram's railroad equipment.

Photo of the Rise User

Lead design, validation, and integration of control algorithms and analysis tools for Intuitive's Ion Endoluminal robotic platform to advance minimally invasive diagnostic and therapeutic capabilities.

MATCH
Calculating your matching score...
FUNDING
DEPARTMENTS
SENIORITY LEVEL REQUIREMENT
TEAM SIZE
No info
HQ LOCATION
No info
EMPLOYMENT TYPE
Full-time, hybrid
DATE POSTED
December 1, 2025
Risa star 🔮 Hi, I'm Risa! Your AI
Career Copilot
Want to see a list of jobs tailored to
you, just ask me below!