Senior Thermal Engineer, Expeditionary AI / HPC Data Centers
About this role
Managing the thermal design of air-transportable, modular compute and command infrastructure occupies the daily schedule for this team, focusing on high-density AI and HPC data centers meant for forward operating locations. Engineers handle the complete development life cycle from initial concepts through prototyping, lab and field testing, and operational deployment in austere settings with limited power and extreme temperatures. Candidates apply extensive knowledge of heat transfer, fluid dynamics, and HVAC principles to design reliable cooling systems that keep hardware operating safely.
Anduril Industries builds advanced defense technology powered by Lattice OS to transform military capabilities. Individuals who succeed in this position bring hands-on experience designing thermal management for mission-critical infrastructure and thrive on solving complex environmental challenges.
What you will do
- Own the full thermal design and analysis of deployable data center cooling systems, covering air-side and water-side architectures, heat rejection, chilled water plants, and liquid cooling.
- Apply first principles to build hand calculations, spreadsheets, and MATLAB or Python first-order models before moving into detailed designs.
- Define cooling strategies like CRAH, CRAC, air-side economization, and direct-to-chip or immersion liquid cooling to manage high-density racks.
- Collaborate with electrical, mechanical, and facilities teams to characterize IT and equipment heat loads across various operating and failure modes.
- Conduct thermal FEA and CFD system models to predict facility performance and establish red and yellow operational limits.
- Lead prototype builds, field testing, commissioning, and operational validation of cooling designs using CAD and data acquisition equipment.
What you need
- Hold an MS or higher degree in mechanical engineering, applied physics, or a related field focused on heat transfer, fluid dynamics, and HVAC.
- Demonstrate an in-depth understanding of heat transfer and fluid dynamics principles.
- Possess at least 5 years of experience designing thermal management systems for data centers or comparable mission-critical infrastructure.
- Show full-spectrum data center thermal experience including air-side and water-side cooling, heat rejection, chilled water plant design, and power density management.
- Bring experience in steady-state and transient system modeling of thermal management systems, including HVAC and refrigerant simulations.
- Demonstrate a track record of validating and testing data center thermal equipment while knowing applicable operating standards.
- Have CAD experience utilizing Siemens NX or SolidWorks.
Nice to have
- Coding in Python or MATLAB for lumped-capacitance steady-state and transient analysis
- Thermal FEA and CFD experience using STAR-CCM+, ANSYS, Icepak, or FloEFD
- Familiarity with efficiency metrics like PUE and WUE alongside thermal design for high-density AI and HPC compute
- Experience with modular, transportable, or ruggedized data centers operating in austere and high-ambient environments
Benefits
- Comprehensive, competitive benefits package available at little to no cost to employees
- Highly competitive equity grants included in the majority of full-time offers
- Top-tier benefits supporting health and recovery
Skills and tech stack
Questions candidates ask
What is the salary range for this role?
The salary range for this role is $146,000 to $194,000 USD, which is an estimate based on a wide range of compensation factors inclusive of base salary only. Actual salary offers may vary based on work experience, education, training, critical skills, and business considerations.
What tools and software are used in this position?
Engineers use MATLAB and Python for first-order models and lumped-capacitance analysis, along with Siemens NX or SolidWorks for CAD. Thermal FEA and CFD tools such as STAR-CCM+, ANSYS, Icepak, or FloEFD are also utilized.
Are there additional compensation elements beyond base salary?
Highly competitive equity grants are included in the majority of full-time offers and are considered part of the total compensation package.
What clearance or security requirements exist for this job?
Candidates must be able to obtain and hold a U.S. Secret security clearance.
The application is on the official Anduril Industries careers page.
Apply on company site