Thermal & Mechanical Design Engineer - Accelerator Boards

Thermal & Mechanical Design Engineer - Accelerator Boards

The Role

We are seeking a Thermal & Mechanical Design Engineer to support the development of next‑generation accelerator boards used in data center servers for HPC and AI/ML workloads. You will work closely with our senior thermal/mechanical architect to design, analyze, and validate cooling solutions and mechanical structures for high‑power PCIe and custom form‑factor accelerator cards.

This is an excellent opportunity for an engineer to get hands‑on experience with cutting‑edge data center hardware and learn from senior experts.

Key Responsibilities

• Collaborate with the senior thermal/mechanical architect on thermal design of accelerator PCBs and assemblies, including:
  • Heat sink and cold plate design
  • Air and liquid cooling solutions
  • Thermal interface materials (TIMs) and heat spreaders
• Support CFD‑based thermal simulations and analysis for high‑power GPUs/accelerators, VRMs, and memory subsystems at the board and system level.
• Assist in mechanical design and packaging:
  • 3D CAD models for heatsinks, liquid cold plates, coolant circuits, brackets, backplates, and retention mechanisms
  • Compliance with server/PCIe mechanical constraints and standards
• Help define and execute thermal validation tests:
  • Sensor placement and logging
  • Chamber tests, fan speed and airflow characterization
  • Correlation of test results to simulation models
• Generate and maintain mechanical drawings, BOMs, and documentation in accordance with internal processes and data center standards.
• Work cross‑functionally with PCB, SI/PI, power, and system teams to ensure thermal and mechanical requirements are incorporated early in the design.

Minimum Qualifications

• Master’s degree in Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or related field.
• 5+ years of relevant experience in thermal and/or mechanical design (internships and project experience acceptable).
• Basic understanding of heat transfer and fluid dynamics (conduction, convection, radiation).
• Mechanical design principles and tolerance/stack‑up.
• Experience with 3D CAD tools (e.g., Creo, SolidWorks, NX, or similar).
• Exposure to thermal simulation tools (e.g., FloTHERM, Icepak, 6SigmaET, Creo Flow Analysis, or similar), even at university or project level.
• Strong problem‑solving skills, attention to detail, and willingness to learn in a fast‑paced environment.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience involving electronics cooling or data center/server hardware.
• Familiarity with industry standards such as PCIe card form factors, 19" rack systems, or OCP server designs.
• Hands‑on lab experience with thermal measurement (thermocouples, IR cameras, etc.).
• Basic scripting skills (Python/Matlab) for data processing and report generation.

What We Offer?

• A chance to work on one of the most transformative AI and silicon engineering companies in Europe with cutting‑edge technology and industry leaders.
• A remuneration package that values your experience.
• Investments in employees and opportunities for growth and career development.
• Hybrid environment with flexible scheduling.
• Opportunity to travel to other countries in Europe to meet the teams, collaborate and drive solutions.
• Place of work: Karlsruhe (Germany).

We are looking for outstanding people willing to join our mission to change the silicon industry and help build a better world. If you identify with Openchip, please contact us.

At Openchip & Software Technologies S.L., we believe a diverse and inclusive team is the key to groundbreaking ideas. We foster a work environment where everyone feels valued, respected, and empowered to reach their full potential—regardless of race, gender, ethnicity, sexual orientation, or gender identity.