Back to jobs

Staff Thermal Engineer

Phoenix, AZ
Leading the future in luxury electric and mobility
At Lucid, we set out to introduce the most captivating, luxury electric vehicles that elevate the human experience and transcend the perceived limitations of space, performance, and intelligence. Vehicles that are intuitive, liberating, and designed for the future of mobility.
 
We plan to lead in this new era of luxury electric by returning to the fundamentals of great design – where every decision we make is in service of the individual and environment. Because when you are no longer bound by convention, you are free to define your own experience.
 
Come work alongside some of the most accomplished minds in the industry. Beyond providing competitive salaries, we’re providing a community for innovators who want to make an immediate and significant impact. If you are driven to create a better, more sustainable future, then this is the right place for you.

We are seeking a Staff Engineer – System Modeling & Testing to lead the development of advanced thermal and HVAC system models and validation strategies at Lucid Motors. This role requires deep technical expertise, strategic planning, and the ability to drive innovation and influence system architecture decisions across vehicle programs. You will own modeling methodologies, drive correlation standards, and mentor engineers while collaborating with cross-functional teams to ensure system performance, efficiency, and reliability targets are consistently achieved. 

Key Responsibilities 

  • Own the 1D system modeling strategy for thermal and HVAC systems using GT-SUITE, Simulink, MATLAB, and Python, ensuring models support architecture trade-offs, control strategy development, and program-level decisions. 
  • Lead development and validation of reduced-order models for key thermal components, leveraging test data and high-fidelity simulations to ensure accuracy, computational efficiency, and alignment with control requirements. 
  • Perform and guide CFD simulations for HVAC and thermal systems to support component-level design iterations, identify optimization opportunities, and enable simulation-driven design decision-making. 
  • Define and execute system validation plans, including lab testing, instrumentation, and correlation of models with physical data; establish correlation metrics and sign-off criteria. 
  • Conduct advanced data analysis of simulation and experimental results using Python and MATLAB to extract insights, optimize system performance, and inform architecture decisions. 
  • Collaborate with cross-functional teams (thermal, controls, battery, drive unit, vehicle integration, hardware design, manufacturing, and suppliers) to align on requirements and ensure robust system integration. 
  • Establish best practices for modeling workflows, automation, and regression testing in Python; implement standards for version control and model quality. 
  • Mentor and coach engineers, review models and test plans, and contribute to technical leadership across programs. 
  • Support supplier evaluations and guide packaging and manufacturability considerations for thermal components. 
  • Own modeling & validation workstream commitments aligned to department OKRs; track, report, and drive cross-functional unblockers to hit targets. 
  • Demonstrate ownership of major features from concept through model-to-test correlation sign-off; provide technical direction across programs. 

Qualifications – Required 

  • Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Mechanical Engineering, Automotive Engineering, Thermal Sciences, or related field (PhD a plus). 
  • 6–10 years of relevant experience in thermal systems modeling, simulation, and validation (automotive or related); 10+ total years preferred. 
  • Expertise in GT-SUITE, Simulink, MATLAB, and Python for simulation, optimization, and data analysis. 
  • Strong foundation in thermodynamics, heat transfer, and fluid mechanics, with deep knowledge of EV thermal system architectures (battery cooling, drive unit cooling, cabin HVAC, heat pumps). 
  • Proficiency with CFD tools (e.g., ANSYS Fluent, Star-CCM+, OpenFOAM) for component- and subsystem-level thermal/fluid analysis. 
  • Proven ability to define modeling strategies, establish correlation standards, and influence system-level architecture decisions. 
  • Experience leading system validation, including test planning, instrumentation, and correlation of models to physical data. 
  • Strong communication and leadership skills to drive cross-functional alignment and mentor technical teams. 

Qualifications – Preferred 

  • Background in automotive HVAC & thermal systems, battery thermal management, or power electronics cooling. 
  • Experience in control model development and advanced reduced-order modeling of components such as compressors, valves, or heat exchangers. 
  • Experience with CFD simulations for multiphase fluid flow and conjugate heat transfer. 
  • Familiarity with vehicle-level testing, validation methods, and automotive communication protocols such as CAN and LIN, along with relevant industry standards. 
Salary Range: The compensation range for this position is specific to the locations listed below and is the range Lucid reasonably and in good faith expects to pay for the position taking into account the wide variety of factors that are considered in making compensation decisions, including job-related knowledge; skillset; experience, education and training; certifications; and other relevant business and organizational factors.
 
Additional Compensation and Benefits: Lucid offers a wide range of competitive benefits, including medical, dental, vision, life insurance, disability insurance, vacation, and 401k. The successful candidate may also be eligible to participate in Lucid’s equity program and/or a discretionary annual incentive program, subject to the rules governing such programs.  (Cash or equity incentive awards, if any, will depend on various factors, including, without limitation, individual and company performance.)

Base Pay Range (Annual)

$138,800 - $203,500 USD

Additional Compensation and Benefits: Lucid offers a wide range of competitive benefits, including medical, dental, vision, life insurance, disability insurance, vacation, and 401k. The successful candidate may also be eligible to participate in Lucid’s equity program and/or a discretionary annual incentive program, subject to the rules governing such programs.  (Cash or equity incentive awards, if any, will depend on various factors, including, without limitation, individual and company performance.)

By Submitting your application, you understand and agree that your personal data will be processed in accordance with our Candidate Privacy Notice. If you are a California resident, please refer to our California Candidate Privacy Notice.

To all recruitment agencies: Lucid Motors does not accept agency resumes. Please do not forward resumes to our careers alias or other Lucid Motors employees. Lucid Motors is not responsible for any fees related to unsolicited resumes. 
 

Apply for this job

*

indicates a required field

Resume/CV*

Accepted file types: pdf, doc, docx, txt, rtf

Cover Letter

Accepted file types: pdf, doc, docx, txt, rtf

Education

Select...
Select...
Select...
Select...
Select...
Select...
Select...
Select...
Select...
Select...
Select...
Select...
Select...

Voluntary Self-Identification

For government reporting purposes, we ask candidates to respond to the below self-identification survey. Completion of the form is entirely voluntary. Whatever your decision, it will not be considered in the hiring process or thereafter. Any information that you do provide will be recorded and maintained in a confidential file.

As set forth in Lucid Motors’s Equal Employment Opportunity policy, we do not discriminate on the basis of any protected group status under any applicable law.

Select...
Select...
Race & Ethnicity Definitions

If you believe you belong to any of the categories of protected veterans listed below, please indicate by making the appropriate selection. As a government contractor subject to the Vietnam Era Veterans Readjustment Assistance Act (VEVRAA), we request this information in order to measure the effectiveness of the outreach and positive recruitment efforts we undertake pursuant to VEVRAA. Classification of protected categories is as follows:

A "disabled veteran" is one of the following: a veteran of the U.S. military, ground, naval or air service who is entitled to compensation (or who but for the receipt of military retired pay would be entitled to compensation) under laws administered by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs; or a person who was discharged or released from active duty because of a service-connected disability.

A "recently separated veteran" means any veteran during the three-year period beginning on the date of such veteran's discharge or release from active duty in the U.S. military, ground, naval, or air service.

An "active duty wartime or campaign badge veteran" means a veteran who served on active duty in the U.S. military, ground, naval or air service during a war, or in a campaign or expedition for which a campaign badge has been authorized under the laws administered by the Department of Defense.

An "Armed forces service medal veteran" means a veteran who, while serving on active duty in the U.S. military, ground, naval or air service, participated in a United States military operation for which an Armed Forces service medal was awarded pursuant to Executive Order 12985.

Select...

Voluntary Self-Identification of Disability

Form CC-305
Page 1 of 1
OMB Control Number 1250-0005
Expires 04/30/2026

Why are you being asked to complete this form?

We are a federal contractor or subcontractor. The law requires us to provide equal employment opportunity to qualified people with disabilities. We have a goal of having at least 7% of our workers as people with disabilities. The law says we must measure our progress towards this goal. To do this, we must ask applicants and employees if they have a disability or have ever had one. People can become disabled, so we need to ask this question at least every five years.

Completing this form is voluntary, and we hope that you will choose to do so. Your answer is confidential. No one who makes hiring decisions will see it. Your decision to complete the form and your answer will not harm you in any way. If you want to learn more about the law or this form, visit the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP) website at www.dol.gov/ofccp.

How do you know if you have a disability?

A disability is a condition that substantially limits one or more of your “major life activities.” If you have or have ever had such a condition, you are a person with a disability. Disabilities include, but are not limited to:

  • Alcohol or other substance use disorder (not currently using drugs illegally)
  • Autoimmune disorder, for example, lupus, fibromyalgia, rheumatoid arthritis, HIV/AIDS
  • Blind or low vision
  • Cancer (past or present)
  • Cardiovascular or heart disease
  • Celiac disease
  • Cerebral palsy
  • Deaf or serious difficulty hearing
  • Diabetes
  • Disfigurement, for example, disfigurement caused by burns, wounds, accidents, or congenital disorders
  • Epilepsy or other seizure disorder
  • Gastrointestinal disorders, for example, Crohn's Disease, irritable bowel syndrome
  • Intellectual or developmental disability
  • Mental health conditions, for example, depression, bipolar disorder, anxiety disorder, schizophrenia, PTSD
  • Missing limbs or partially missing limbs
  • Mobility impairment, benefiting from the use of a wheelchair, scooter, walker, leg brace(s) and/or other supports
  • Nervous system condition, for example, migraine headaches, Parkinson’s disease, multiple sclerosis (MS)
  • Neurodivergence, for example, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), autism spectrum disorder, dyslexia, dyspraxia, other learning disabilities
  • Partial or complete paralysis (any cause)
  • Pulmonary or respiratory conditions, for example, tuberculosis, asthma, emphysema
  • Short stature (dwarfism)
  • Traumatic brain injury
Select...

PUBLIC BURDEN STATEMENT: According to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 no persons are required to respond to a collection of information unless such collection displays a valid OMB control number. This survey should take about 5 minutes to complete.