Boyd Thermal by Eaton Junior Thermal Research Engineer

All positions require use of information or access to hardware which is subject to the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR). Applicants must be U.S. Persons—U.S. citizens, permanent residents, political asylees, or refugees. Eaton will not sponsor employment-based visas for this role.

No relocation assistance is offered. Candidates must currently reside within 50 miles (80 kilometers) of the work location.

About the Role

The Junior Thermal Research Engineer supports the design, modeling, and experimental validation of advanced thermal management systems for next-generation electronics cooling in data center, semiconductor test, and aerospace and defense applications. This role emphasizes thermal-fluid system modeling, data-driven engineering, and product development to accelerate design, optimization, and system-level performance prediction.

Responsibilities

• Support the design and development of thermal management systems, including liquid cooling, two-phase cooling, and heat exchanger-based architectures.
• Design cooling systems such as cold plates, cooling distribution units (CDUs), and passive two-phase solutions (heat pipes and vapor chambers).
• Develop and apply thermal-fluid modeling tools (steady-state and transient) for system-level performance prediction, including pressure drop, heat transfer, and coolant distribution.
• Implement and use machine learning, AI, and data-driven methods for engineering applications.
• Model data center cooling systems, including rack-level and component-level thermal architecture analysis.
• Conduct design of experiments (DOE) and support experimental testing, including instrumentation, data acquisition, and validation of models.
• Create and maintain CAD models and engineering documentation (e.g., SolidWorks designs, P&IDs, drawings, and test plans).
• Assist in developing computational tools and simulation frameworks (Python, MATLAB) to support engineering decision-making and research activities.
• Support prototype development and testbed construction, including integration of thermal systems and measurement capabilities.
• Collaborate with senior engineers and researchers to:
  • Evaluate new cooling technologies.
  • Improve system efficiency and performance.
  • Identify key design tradeoffs.
  • Contribute to technical documentation, reports, and presentations of results.
• Support component and material selection for thermal systems (heat exchangers, sensors, cooling loops).
• Assist in manufacturing and assembly support, including prototype builds and testing.
• Evaluate trade-offs between cost, performance, and scalability.
• Participate in cross-functional collaboration with mechanical, electrical, and controls engineers.

Requirements

• Master’s or PhD degree in Mechanical Engineering or a related field.
• Focus or coursework in heat transfer, fluid dynamics, or thermal systems.
• Laboratory experience.
• Graduate research experience in thermal-fluid sciences or cooling technologies (strongly preferred).

Skills

• Thermal & Fluid Systems: Two-phase cooling, electronics cooling, refrigeration/HVAC systems, heat exchanger design, boiling/condensation heat transfer.
• Modeling & Simulation: ANSYS (Fluent, Icepak, Mechanical) or similar CFD tools; system-level thermal-fluid modeling.
• Data Science & Optimization: Machine learning surrogate modeling, data-driven engineering approaches.
• Programming: Python and/or MATLAB for modeling, simulation, and data analysis.
• Experimental Methods: DOE, instrumentation, DAQ, and experimental validation (LabVIEW).
• Communications: Strong skills to facilitate knowledge sharing.

Preferred Experience

• Exposure to data center cooling or high-performance electronics thermal management.
• Experience developing reduced-order or surrogate models for thermal systems.
• Familiarity with optimization-driven design workflows.
• Experience integrating modeling and experimental validation.

Additional Information

• Travel may be required up to 10% of the time.
• Opportunity to work with cross-functional teams and gain exposure to senior leaders within the Electrical Sector.