Orbitalindustries
Thermal Engineer
3d ago
USAmodelingsimulationscold plate designcondenser optimizationphysical prototypingflow loop constructionsystem testing
Develop next-generation cooling technologies for high-density data center applications including modeling, design, prototyping, and testing.
Responsibilities
- This is a key role within Orbital’s cooling technology portfolio from design to deployment. As a subject matter expert, you’ll need equal comfort at the whiteboard and the bench. You will design, build and operate two-phase test loops, analyse performance data and rapidly iterate towards solutions that can scale from prototype to product.
Conditions
- Competitive salary and equity package - the ability to own part of Orbital as we grow
- Flexible and generous paid time off
- Excellent health, dental and vision insurance plan
- Regular company offsites
- The experience of working in a cutting-edge organisation dedicated to a better future
- Orbital is an equal opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees.
Other
- Orbital is an AI-first industrial company building hardware from the atoms up. Our goal is to lead an industrial renaissance to advance critical technologies and secure our planet for generations to come.
- We’re starting with critical hardware for AI data centers to make them more performant and sustainable. Every Orbital product is invented with our AI platform — uniting AI-automated hardware engineering with AI-designed material science to achieve breakthrough real-world performance.
- We have an ambitious mission and need excellent people in all our teams - AI research, operations, advanced materials, mechanical engineering, chemical engineering and manufacturing.
- Working at Orbital means working in tightly integrated, vertically integrated teams. We’re looking for people who have a love of physical technology, curiosity in AI and a desire to learn.
- Orbital is seeking a highly skilled and innovative Thermal Engineer to develop next-generation cooling technologies for high-density data center applications. The role spans the full development cycle: from modeling and simulations to cold plate design, condenser optimization, physical prototyping, flow loop construction, and system-level testing. You will work directly with novel refrigerators and proprietary AI toolsets to push the boundaries of speed and efficiency in data center cooling.
- Evaluate candidate refrigerants based on thermodynamic properties, saturation temperature, safety classification, material compatibility, and regulatory requirements for integration into two-phase cooling designs.
- Design and optimize evaporator cold plates including channel geometry selection, inlet restriction sizing and exit vapor quality targeting
- Evaluate and develop enhanced boiling surfaces to improve nucleation site density and increase critical heat flux margins
- Construct thermal test vehicles to evaluate cold plate performance under control and representative heat flux conditions
- Operate two-phase test loops to characterize flow, generate boiling curves and CHF data.
- Translate experimental findings into design rules and validated simulation inputs
- Perform system-level thermodynamic analyses: pressure-enthalpy cycle mapping, charge optimization, subcooling control, and component sizing for two-phase flow
- Use or direct CFD or other modeling tools to evaluate cold plate designs, flow distribution in manifolds and thermal stresses in assemblies.
- Build or contribute to system-level models for cycle analysis, parametric studies and impact of fluid properties on total performance.
- Support Obrital’s proprietary fluid development efforts by contributing to compatibility testing, accelerated aging studies, and performance characterization.
- Specify materials, bonding processes, and manufacturing methods for prototype and production cold plate units.
- As the team continues to grow, this role will be responsible for the direction of intermediate engineers, designers, and researchers contributing to two-phase development
- Produce technical reports, test plans, and design specifications for internal and external stakeholders.
- Degree in mechanical engineering, chemical engineering or a closely related discipline with 5+ years of experience.
- Demonstrated experience in single or two-phase heat transfer, boiling phenomena or refrigeration system design
- Proficiency in conducting thermodynamic analysis to optimize cooling system performance, energy efficiency and heat transfer.
- Hands-on prototyping and lab experience: ability to design test fixtures, build flow loops, select and install instrumentation, and run experiments independently.
- Experience with or strong aptitude for CAD for test fixture design.
- Ability to interpret experimental data and translate findings into design improvements
- Continuous improvement mindset
- Background in chemistry, materials science, or chemical engineering as it relates to refrigerant behavior, surface treatments,or coating processes is a strong plus.
- Experience with relevant simulation software (e.g. CFD, FEA) for thermal and fluid dynamics an asset
- Familiarity or experience with cold plate manufacturing processes (CNC machining, brazing, sintering, skiving) is an asset.