Thermal Engineer

Position Overview

Lenovo Infrastructure Solutions Group (ISG) is seeking an experienced Thermal Engineer to lead the development and qualification of advanced thermal solutions for next-generation server and rack infrastructure deployed in cloud and AI-driven data centers. This role will be responsible for thermal architecture, CFD modeling, cooling solution development, and system-level thermal validation across compute, storage, and GPU platforms.

The ideal candidate will bring a strong background in server thermal engineering, airflow optimization, liquid and air-cooling technologies, and data-driven problem solving. This individual will work closely with cross-functional engineering teams and customers to ensure products meet thermal, performance, reliability, and production readiness requirements.

Key Responsibilities

• Develop, design, and qualify thermal solutions for rack and server infrastructure supporting cloud data centers, including compute, storage, and GPU platforms.
• Own server- and rack-level thermal architecture from concept through design validation, qualification, and production readiness.
• Design and optimize thermal management solutions utilizing both air-cooling and liquid-cooling technologies.
• Perform Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) simulations using ANSYS Icepak, FloTHERM, or equivalent tools to evaluate airflow, pressure, heat distribution, component temperatures, and overall system performance.
• Optimize airflow, fan performance, acoustics, thermal margins, and energy efficiency at system and rack levels.
• Define thermal validation strategies, test plans, methodologies, qualification requirements, and acceptance criteria based on product and customer requirements.
• Execute thermal, airflow, power, performance, and system-level validation testing across varying workloads and environmental conditions.
• Correlate simulation models with physical test results and continuously improve thermal model accuracy and design effectiveness.
• Analyze thermal, airflow, power, telemetry, and performance data to identify trends, design limitations, and opportunities for optimization.
• Lead root-cause analysis and resolution of complex thermal and system-level issues.
• Partner with mechanical, electrical, firmware, system, validation, manufacturing, and supplier engineering teams to drive issue resolution and product readiness.
• Support customer engagements and technical reviews by presenting thermal design recommendations, risk assessments, and qualification results.
• Create and maintain engineering specifications, simulation reports, test plans, validation reports, technical presentations, and related engineering documentation.

Basic Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering, Thermal Engineering, or a related engineering discipline.
• 8+ years of experience in thermal engineering, preferably supporting server platforms, data center infrastructure, high-performance computing (HPC), AI systems, or electronics cooling applications.
• Strong understanding of server architecture and major hardware components, including CPUs, GPUs, DIMMs, NVMe storage, NICs, power supplies, and cooling subsystems.
• Deep knowledge of heat transfer, thermodynamics, fluid mechanics, airflow management, thermal margins, and cooling solution development.
• Hands-on experience performing server thermal, power, airflow, and performance validation testing.
• Experience using CFD and thermal simulation tools such as ANSYS Icepak, FloTHERM, or similar industry-standard platforms.
• Demonstrated ability to analyze thermal sensor data, power measurements, system telemetry, performance metrics, and test logs to drive engineering decisions.
• Proven experience troubleshooting complex thermal and system-level issues and leading root-cause investigations.
• Strong technical documentation skills, including development of engineering specifications, simulation models, validation plans, and qualification reports.
• Excellent communication and collaboration skills with the ability to work effectively across multidisciplinary engineering organizations.

Preferred Qualifications

• Master's degree in Mechanical Engineering, Thermal Engineering, or a related technical field.
• Experience designing and qualifying liquid cooling solutions for high-density server, AI, or HPC deployments.
• Experience supporting rack-level thermal solutions for cloud, hyperscale, or enterprise data center environments.
• Familiarity with GPU-intensive platforms and thermal considerations for AI and accelerated computing workloads.
• Experience optimizing server acoustics, fan control strategies, airflow efficiency, and power utilization.
• Knowledge of firmware interactions related to thermal management and system cooling controls.
• Experience working directly with suppliers, ODMs, manufacturing partners, and customers on thermal design and qualification activities.
• Exposure to embedded systems, power electronics, PCB design, hardware validation, electromagnetic compatibility (EMC), and advanced thermal management technologies.
• Proven ability to communicate technical concepts and design recommendations to both engineering and customer stakeholders.

We are an Equal Opportunity Employer and do not discriminate against any employee or applicant for employment because of race, color, sex, age, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, status as a veteran, and basis of disability or any federal, state, or local protected class.