Thermal Design Lead

Thermal Design Lead

Job Description

About the role:
Join Client's Engineering organization to lead thermal strategy and execution across pre- and post-silicon for next gen CPUs, GPUs, and mobile systems. You’ll own thermal requirements, modeling, validation, and cross-functional integration—delivering class leading products that delight users in performance, acoustics, and comfort.

The Thermal Design Lead will spearhead the thermal strategy and execution across pre- and post-silicon phases. This role involves defining thermal requirements, modeling, validation, and cross-functional integration to ensure the delivery of superior products

What you’ll do
Lead end-to-end thermal program development for client products (pre-silicon through validation and post-silicon).
Define silicon- and system-level thermal, power, and cooling requirements; author clear customer-facing documentation.
Collaborate with CPU/GPU architecture, performance, BIOS/SMU, packaging, and customer engineering teams to align thermal strategies.
Own thermal design, modeling (CFD), test, and debug for mobile & desktop [GR1.1]platforms, drive design decisions and trade-offs.
Develop and validate fan policy/curves; optimize thermal controls for APU/CPU, GPU, and hybrid systems.
Diagnose thermal interactions (power, performance, controls) at silicon, package, and system levels; rapidly drive alternative solutions.
Ensure delivery of best in class designs by influencing IP floorplans, component placement, and system integration for thermals.[DM2.1]
Continuously improve processes, methodologies, and automation to accelerate thermal development and validation.
Communicate status, risks, and decisions effectively to executives and cross functional stakeholders.

What you’ll bring (must-haves)
Deep expertise in heat transfer and fluid dynamics, with hands-on system level thermal design experience.
Advanced proficiency in CFD for electronics cooling (Icepak and/or Flotherm).
Strong background in thermal validation and debugging of new silicon and system hardware/software issues.
Practical knowledge of thermal components and materials (fans, heatsinks, shields, spreaders, TIMs) and how they impact product performance.
Ability to analyze and message package thermal resistance impacts (e.g., silicon performance, gen on gen changes) to internal and external audiences.
Proven collaboration across architecture, power/performance, BIOS/firmware, and customer engineering teams.
Executive level communication skills—able to distill complex technical topics into clear decisions and updates.
Extensive lab experience including:
Data acquisition and automation
System teardown/rebuild, instrumentation (thermocouples, IR cameras, power/thermal sensors), and test fixture design.
System impedance and fan (P-Q curve) characterization using an airflow bench.
Test planning, execution, and analysis for thermal performance, acoustics, and skin temperature.

Preferred
Mechanical CAD experience (Creo or SolidWorks).
Experience with Multiphysics modeling and warpage analysis is a bonus.
Experience designing and validating fan control policies/curves for client systems.
Familiarity with PC architecture and hands-on system setup/testing (VRAM, NVMe, VR, memory, charging circuits).
Understanding firmware-managed power/thermal features and controls across APU/CPU, GPU, and combined systems.
Experience influencing IP floorplans and component placement for thermal optimization.

Qualifications
Not an entry-level or fresh grad position
BS/MS in Mechanical, Aerospace, Electrical Engineering, or related field.
BS + 8 years or MS + 6 years or PhD + 3 years of relevant experience in thermal design, analysis, and validation of electronic systems

Why this role matters:
Your work directly shapes thermal performance, acoustics, and user comfort in client’s flagship products. You’ll partner closely with architecture and system teams, see your decisions ship at scale, and set the bar for thermal excellence in the industry.

VIVA is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants have an equal opportunity for placement, and all employees have an equal opportunity to develop on the job. This means that VIVA will not discriminate against any employee or qualified applicant on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability or protected veteran status.