AI / Simulation Staff Engineer - CFD & Thermal Validation Lead

Job Description

We are seeking a highly accomplished Staff Engineer / Technical Leader in CFD & Thermal Sciences with 10+ years of industrial experience to strengthen and scale our fluid and thermal simulation capabilities. This role is central to advancing internal service development while also supporting customer-facing engineering solutions, particularly in complex and large-scale thermal systems such as data centers and HVAC-related applications.

The position plays a key role in supporting safety-driven engineering decisions and regulatory evaluations, including interpretation of simulation results in the context of UL safety requirements, risk assessment, and certification objectives. The successful candidate will apply sound engineering judgment to ensure modeling approaches, assumptions, and results are technically robust, defensible, and suitable for compliance and certification use.

This role is designed for a deeply hands-on technical expert who can rapidly develop credible models, mentor experienced engineers, review and validate simulation work, and guide verification and validation efforts for both internal initiatives and customer programs. The role emphasizes collaboration over competition, with a shared mission to improve team productivity, efficiency, and technical excellence while enabling confident, safety-focused design and certification outcomes.

Responsibilities

Lead and execute advanced CFD and thermal simulations involving fluid flow, conjugate heat transfer, multi-species, and multi-phase phenomena
Deliver quick-turn, high-quality model development to support internal service offerings and customer projects
Act as the technical authority for complex fluid and thermal challenges, providing independent assessment and solution guidance
Select appropriate modeling fidelity (1D, reduced-order, or full 3D CFD) based on objectives, timelines, and accuracy needs
Define, lead, and review verification and validation (V&V) activities for CFD and thermal models
Correlate simulation results with experimental data, field measurements, or operational data
Provide expert review and guidance on customer-developed models, ensuring fitness-for-purpose and credibility
Serve as a trusted technical advisor for customers on modeling strategy, level of detail, and V&V approach
Translate simulation results into actionable design, operational, and risk-mitigation insights
Communicate complex technical findings effectively to both technical and non-technical audiences
Analyze steady-state and transient heat cycles, accounting for load variation, power ramp-up/ramp-down, and fault scenarios
Understand and apply ASHRAE data center thermal guidelines and industry best practices
Mentor and guide peers, reviewing their work and strengthening modeling rigor
Promote best practices in model development, validation, and documentation
Foster a collaborative, learning-oriented team culture focused on shared success rather than internal competition
Define modeling standards, workflows, and reusable methodologies to improve efficiency and scalability
Contribute to continuous improvement initiatives that enhance team productivity and delivery quality

Qualifications

Bachelor’s or Master’s degree (PhD also) in Mechanical Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Thermal Sciences, or a related field from a reputed institution
10+ years of industrial experience in CFD and thermal-fluid engineering
Strong theoretical and practical expertise in: Fluid dynamics and turbulence, Heat transfer (conduction, convection, radiation), Multi-species transport, and Multi-phase flow modeling
Demonstrated hands-on experience in: Rapid model development, Independent technical review, and Verification and validation (V&V)
Hands-on experience in verification, validation, and model credibility assessment, with practical application of established V&V frameworks such as ASME V&V 10/20/40, NASA standards, and Oberkampf guidelines, including uncertainty quantification and appropriateness-for-use evaluation
Proven ability to mentor engineers and lead technical work through influence and expertise
Proficiency with leading CFD tools such as ANSYS Fluent/CFX, STAR‑CCM+, COMSOL, or equivalent
Strong communication skills and comfort engaging directly with customers and cross-functional stakeholders
Self-driven, accountable, and comfortable operating with minimal supervision
Strong understanding and modeling of data center thermal behavior, including heat generation, heat rejection, and transient heat cycles under varying IT loads
Exposure to 1D, reduced-order, and multi-scale modeling approaches
Experience with fan and blower modeling, including Moving Reference Frame (MRF), sliding mesh, and fan curve–based methods
Background in refrigerant leakage modeling, HVAC, or refrigeration systems
Familiarity with standards-driven or compliance-focused engineering environments
Experience in reviewing and assessing multi-scale models, including:
1D / system-level models for heat balance, capacity planning, and rapid trade-off studies
Room-scale 3D CFD models for airflow distribution, temperature stratification, and recirculation
Rack- or component-level CFD models for detailed thermal investigation
Familiarity with energy efficiency metrics (e.g., airflow effectiveness, thermal margins)