Principal Thermal Engineer

About the role

Graphcore is a globally recognized leader in Artificial Intelligence computing systems. The company designs advanced semiconductors and data center hardware that provide the specialized processing power needed to drive AI innovation, while delivering the efficiency required to support its broader adoption. As part of the SoftBank Group, Graphcore is a member of an elite family of companies responsible for some of the world’s most transformative technologies. We are opening a new AI Engineering Campus in Austin, which will play a central role in Graphcore's work building the future of AI computing.

Responsibilities

This position is a senior technical engineer role. The thermal engineer will work in a project team delivering complex AI data center hardware. Primary responsibility is to ensure the overall product functionality and meet all applicable technical thermal specifications. The engineer will be responsible for the overall thermal solution, creation of specifications, design review and qualification, and testing and validation.

This role involves deep understanding of thermal management principles, simulation, testing, and collaboration with cross-functional teams to deliver high-performance and reliable server cooling systems. Expert in your chosen field, you’ll be responsible for designing, developing, modifying and evaluating the liquid cooling solutions focusing on direct liquid cooling (DLC).

As part of the technical function, you will be responsible for working with select ODM vendors to manage the product thermal specification, development schedule, meet various deliverables, resolve technical issues, and ensure product meets specification, cost and quality goals. You will be responsible for guiding and directing ODM vendors to deliver thermal designs, implementation, monitor testing, review cost and review technical design information to provide clear directions to ODM. In addition, you will also be working with third party vendors and suppliers to ensure product features are being achieved.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s, Master’s or Ph.D. degrees in mechanical engineering.
• Minimum of 5 years of server thermal design experience.
• Experience in system level thermal design focusing on DLC and cold plate cooling heatsink technology as well as system level control logic.

Skills

• Understanding the basic foundations of thermal fluid dynamics and heat transfer.
• Ability to lead the design and development of liquid cooling solutions. This includes conceptualization, prototyping, simulation, validation, and optimization of heat sinks, cold plates, CDU/CDM, and other liquid cooling components.
• Ability to perform thermal simulations and analyses utilizing industry-standard software (e.g., FlowTherm, ANSYS, COMSOL) to analyze thermal behavior and optimize design for performance and efficiency.
• Ability to develop and execute test plans to validate thermal solutions, ensuring compliance with industry standards and performance goals.
• Experience working closely with system architects, chip and board designers, and software/firmware engineers to integrate liquid cooling solutions into server products.
• Understanding of microprocessor architecture and thermal profiles.
• Understanding of system level thermal design focusing on fan and heatsink technology.
• Experience with system level thermal and fan control algorithm.
• Experience effectively dealing with conflict.
• Communicates well verbally, in writing, and graphically.
• Ability to establish clear goals and formulate plans to achieve them.
• Good root-cause analysis and problem-solving skills.
• Works independently and as part of a team.
• Excited about technology and has the desire to learn new tasks and technologies.

USA Benefits

In addition to a competitive salary, Graphcore offers flexible working and a comprehensive benefits package designed to support your health, wellbeing and financial future. Our benefits include medical, dental and vision coverage, Flexible Spending Accounts (FSAs), Health Savings Accounts (HSAs), disability and life insurance, a 401(k) retirement plan, commuter benefits, wellness services and an Employee Assistance Programme (EAP).