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Modeling Design Engineer (Thermal)

San Jose, CA

We’re ALTEN Technology USA, an engineering company helping clients bring groundbreaking ideas to life—from advancing space exploration and life-saving medical devices to building autonomous electric vehicles. With 3,000+ experts across North America, we partner with leading companies in aerospace, medical devices, robotics, automotive, commercial vehicles, EVs, rail, and more.

As part of the global ALTEN Group—57,000+ engineers in 30 countries—we deliver across the entire product development cycle, from consulting to full project outsourcing.

When you join ALTEN Technology USA, you’ll collaborate on some of the world’s toughest engineering challenges, supported by mentorship, career growth opportunities, and comprehensive benefits. We take pride in fostering a culture where employees feel valued, supported, and inspired to grow.

As Modeling Design Engineer (Thermal) you will be responsible for;

  • Lead ground-up thermal design activities for powertrain cooling systems, from concept through implementation
  • Design and develop thermal management systems for electric motors, generators, and power electronics in eVTOL applications
  • Perform detailed thermal simulations and create analytical models to predict component temperatures and system performance
  • Validate simulation models through testing and refine them based on experimental data
  • Assist in conducting trade studies to evaluate design alternatives and determine optimal thermal solutions
  • Collaborate with mechanical design teams to integrate thermal solutions that meet packaging, weight, and performance requirements
  • Lead thermal optimization initiatives across powertrain systems to enhance overall efficiency and performance
  • Support thermal testing activities, including test plan development, execution, and data analysis
  • Analyze flight test data to verify in-flight thermal performance and identify opportunities for improvement 
  • Document design rationale, analysis methodologies, and test results

Qualifications;

  • Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or related technical field; Master's degree preferred
  • 5+ years of experience in thermal design and analysis of complex electromechanical systems
  • Strong fundamentals and demonstrated understanding of heat transfer and flow physics, including, conduction, convection and radiation
  • Demonstrated experience with ground-up thermal design for high-performance systems
  • Experience conducting and supporting engineering trade studies for thermal solutions
  • Strong understanding of heat transfer principles, fluid dynamics, and cooling system design
  • Proficiency in thermal simulation software and analytical modeling techniques
  • Advanced skills in MATLAB and Python for data analysis and model development
  • Comprehensive knowledge of electric motor thermal characteristics and cooling methodologies
  • Experience with power electronics cooling 
  • Strong problem-solving abilities with a systematic approach to engineering challenges
  • Excellent communication skills and ability to work effectively in multidisciplinary teams
  • Ability to work in lab and test environments
  • May require occasional travel to test facilities

Preferred Qualifications;

  • Experience in aerospace or automotive industries
  • Knowledge of eVTOL or electric aircraft thermal challenges
  • Familiarity with CFD software and conjugate heat transfer analysis 
  • Experience with Lumped Parameter Thermal Network (LPTN) modeling for complex, coupled systems
  • Experience with design and testing of liquid cooling systems
  • Background in optimizing thermal systems for weight-sensitive applications
  • Understanding of regulatory requirements related to powertrain thermal management
  • Familiarity with air and liquid cooling solutions, e.g., heat sinks, coldplates, heat pipes

Salary Range: $125K-$170K 

The actual salary offered is dependent on various factors including, but not limited to, location, the candidate’s combination of job-related knowledge, qualifications, skills, education, training, and experience 

ALTEN Technology is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Our Policy is to extend opportunities to qualified applicants and employees on an equal basis regardless of an individual’s age, race, color, sex, religion, national origin, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity/expression or veteran status.

Please beware of job seeker scams and see this important notice on our careers page for more information about our recruiting process.

Compliance Notice: Alten USA is a federal contractor subject to the requirements of the Vietnam Era Veterans’ Readjustment Assistance Act (VEVRAA) and Executive Order 11246. We are an Equal Opportunity Employer and consider all qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or veteran status.

Drug Screening Requirement: As a federal contractor, Alten USA maintains a drug-free workplace. All candidates selected for employment will be required to successfully complete a pre-employment drug screening as a condition of hire.

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