Principal Mechanical/thermal Architect

Microsoft Microsoft · Big Tech · Taipei City, Taiwan · Mechanical Engineering

This role is for a Principal Mechanical/Thermal Architect focused on designing and optimizing cooling systems for AI servers and data centers. The responsibilities include leading mechanical and thermal development, end-to-end system design ownership, architecting liquid cooling solutions, and ensuring manufacturability and reliability. The role requires extensive experience in mechanical engineering, thermal design, fluid dynamics, and CAD software, with a focus on high-volume manufacturing and reliability for cloud hardware infrastructure.

What you'd actually do

  1. Lead Mechanical and thermal Development: Deliver innovative mechanical and thermal architecture and designs for compute & AI server and cooling systems, integrating thermal, structural, and electrical constraints with a deep understanding of server architecture and adjacencies.
  2. End-to-End System Design Ownership: Lead system-level design from concept through production, including architectural trade-offs, technical decision-making, and alignment across chip, tray, rack, and datacenter interfaces.
  3. Liquid Cooling Architecture Leadership: Architect and drive the design and development of complex liquid cooling solutions at the server, rack, and datacenter levels, including liquid-to-air heat exchangers, CDUs, manifolds, and piping.
  4. Fluid Distribution & Thermal Implementation: Own the mechanical and thermal implementation of fluid distribution systems within server racks, including:
  5. Design for Manufacturing & Reliability: Ensure manufacturability, cost-efficiency, and long-term reliability through material selection, tolerance control, supplier engagement, and understanding of tooling and manufacturing processes.

Skills

Required

  • 9+ years related technical engineering experience OR Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering, or related field AND 6+ years related technical engineering experience OR Master's degree in Mechanical Engineering, or related field AND 4+ years related technical engineering experience OR Doctorate degree in Mechanical Engineering, or related field AND 3+ years related technical engineering experience OR equivalent experience.
  • Proficiency in CAD software understanding of mechanical design principles, GD&T analysis, mechanical vibration and shock, material compatibility, tooling, manufacturing processes, validation, and packaging.
  • Experience with prototyping, tooling, and high-volume manufacturing of electronic enclosures.
  • Experience leading complex design programs, crossfunctional design reviews and architectural decisions.
  • Experience with cabling and networking interconnect technology.
  • Experience with development of specifications, interface control documents, and managing design requirements.
  • Hands-on experience with the end-to-end design of liquid cooling subsystems, such as QD, Cold Plate, Manifold, RPU and CDU.
  • Hands-on experience with FloTHERM, FLOEFD, Ansys, Icepak, Macroflow or equivalent CFD analysis software.

Nice to have

  • 5 + years of thermal and mechanical design principles, fluid dynamics, pumps and compressors, mechanical vibration and shock, valve and manifold design, material compatibility, manufacturing processes, and validation.
  • 10 years of experience in the electronics industry specifically related to high-density, liquid cooling

What the JD emphasized

  • AI server
  • liquid cooling