Electrothermal Modeling Engineer Intern (Summer 2027)

About the role

GM Performance Power Units is seeking a motivated Electrothermal Modeling Engineer Intern to join our Energy Store team in Concord, NC. This internship will deliver a coupled thermal-ECM cell model in Star-CCM+, validated to cycler data, so pack thermal design can iterate on cell candidates inside the existing CFD workflow. You'll work alongside the cell test technician and Energy Store engineers, with primary focus on building and validating the coupled thermal-ECM model in Star-CCM+.

Responsibilities

• Integrate battery cell electrical and thermal Reduced Order Models (ROMs) into the Star-CCM+ Battery module, coupled to the pack thermal solver, such that cell candidates can be iterated inside the existing CFD workflow
• Set up and tune the coupled thermal-electrical simulation: mesh independence, boundary conditions, solver convergence, and residual monitoring for the conjugate heat-transfer problem.
• Extract Equivalent Circuit Model (ECM) parameters (R0, R1, C1, optional 2nd-order branch, OCV) from battery cycler data, with quantified uncertainty across SoC x temperature.
• Correlate simulated cell voltage and surface temperature from the coupled model against measured drive-profile data to defined error targets.
• Perform a sensitivity study on the top three model parameters and document their impact on coupled thermal predictions.
• Author a repeatable model-calibration SOP validated by an independent engineer.
• Present modeling progress and validation results at a mid-program readout and a final review to senior Energy Store and Thermal engineers.
• Archive all raw data, processed data, models, and documentation per program naming convention.
• Additional tasks as needed.

Requirements

• Enrolled in an BSc, MSc, MEng, or PhD program in mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, materials science, chemistry, chemical engineering, or a closely related discipline, with an anticipated graduation date from Dec 2027 – May 2028.
• Strong communication skills to clearly and succinctly communicate model findings and limitations
• Equivalent-circuit modeling fundamentals: parameter identification from pulse and drive-cycle data, and the physical basis (and limits) of R0/R1/C1 lumped elements.
• CFD literacy sufficient to set up and diagnose a conjugate-heat-transfer problem: mesh independence, boundary conditions, convergence, residuals.
• Fluent in Python (NumPy, SciPy, pandas, Matplotlib) for parameter extraction, correlation, and figure generation.
• Willingness to complete GMPPU HV and cell-lab safety training on-site; prior HV lab exposure is a plus but not required.
• Ability to work on-site in Concord, NC for the duration of the internship.
• Ability to stand, walk, and move in diverse operational environments, including race shops, arenas, and commercial facilities.
• Comfortable working in variable environmental conditions, including loud, high-traffic, or high-pressure environments.

Qualifications

• Prior Star-CCM+ experience (any module; Battery or conjugate heat-transfer preferred).
• FSAE / Formula Student EV team involvement, especially battery pack or HV work.
• MATLAB / Simulink literacy for cross-tool sanity checks.
• Working knowledge of Li-ion cell electrochemistry fundamentals (OCV, polarization, thermal generation) sufficient to interpret ECM parameters physically.
• Exposure to ISO 6469 or IEC