Thermal Systems Engineer

Ford Ford · Auto · Long Beach, CA +1 · PD Operations and Quality

Mechanical Engineer focused on designing and simulating thermal management systems for electric vehicles, specifically the coolant subsystem. Responsibilities include component selection, performance analysis, and collaborating with other engineering teams. Requires experience in thermodynamics, heat transfer, fluid dynamics, and physical system modeling.

What you'd actually do

  1. You will lead the design, development, and integration of fluid-based thermal management loops.
  2. Lead the architecture, design, and development of coolant subsystems that interact with HV battery, drive unit, power electronics, refrigeration, and HVAC components.
  3. Define detailed thermal and hydraulic performance specifications for individual components (e.g., pumps, valves, heat exchangers, fans, hoses, degas bottles, etc.) within the coolant subsystem.
  4. Work with application engineers to evaluate and select appropriate components based on performance requirements, cost, packaging constraints, and reliability targets.
  5. Develop, calibrate, and maintain high-fidelity plant models that accurately simulate thermal and hydraulic behavior of the subsystem's components.

Skills

Required

  • Bachelor's or equivalent combination of relevant education and experience
  • 3+ years of experience in thermal system design or component engineering
  • Strong understanding of thermodynamics, heat transfer, and fluid dynamics principles
  • Experience with physical system modeling and simulation tools (e.g., MATLAB/Simulink, GT-SUITE, etc.)
  • Proficiency in Python or similar programming languages for model development

Nice to have

  • Master's or Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering or related engineering discipline
  • Experience with EV thermal management systems
  • Familiarity with vehicle communication protocols (CAN, LIN) for controlling smart pumps and valves
  • Strong collaborative skills to work across hardware and software teams in a fast-paced EV development environment