Senior Level Thermal Engineer Jobs
Senior level thermal engineer jobs put experienced engineers in charge of thermal system architecture, design validation, and the cross-functional teams or projects that bring those systems to production. Most openings are 40% remote or hybrid, concentrated in Manufacturing, Aerospace & Defense, and Technology & Software, with employers like Trane Technologies, Kbr, and Rivian hiring at this level now.
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Showing 5 of 13+ Senior Level Thermal Engineer jobs
INTRODUCTION
Infrastructure Solutions Group (ISG) builds the products that power infrastructure, solutions, and data management our customers need most. Our teams design and develop the hardware and software that connect infrastructure, accelerate computational workloads, integrate across the stack, protect data continuity, and deliver the platforms, applications, and diagnostics our customers rely on every day at enterprise scale.
Some product builders follow the rules. Ours rewrite them.
Within ISG, innovation isn't just about creating new technology - it's about challenging assumptions and reimagining how work gets done. Engineers define intent, author precise specifications, and orchestrate AI agents that execute at speed and scale. AI is embedded throughout our development process, helping us move faster, learn quicker, and deliver greater impact. Yet the most important contribution remains uniquely human: deciding what to build, designing how it should work, and applying the judgment needed to earn our customers' trust. When your products power critical infrastructure around the world, that responsibility matters.
We move quickly toward the work that matters most. We reward experimentation, encourage bold thinking, and remove unnecessary barriers so great ideas can become reality faster. Our teams embrace a customer-first, first-to-market mindset, transforming rapid feedback into better products and better outcomes. We aren't looking for people who are content with the status quo - we look for builders who question it, improve it, and occasionally rewrite it.
If you're energized by solving complex systems challenges, excited to work alongside AI to amplify your impact, and motivated by the opportunity to shape what's next instead of simply maintaining what's been done before, you'll find your place here.
ROLE AND RESPONSIBILITIES
Thermal Senior Principal Engineer
Join us as a Thermal Senior Principal Engineer on our Network Engineer Hardware team in Franklin, MA or Austin, TX to do the best work of your career and make a profound social impact.
What you’ll achieve
As a Thermal Engineer, you will be responsible for the thermal architecture, design, and validation of Dell's next-generation Network Switches (L10) and Network L11 integrated rack solutions. Working across mechanical, electrical, hardware, power, and system engineering teams, you will develop innovative cooling solutions for high-performance networking platforms supporting AI, HPC, and cloud workloads. Utilizing thermal simulation, laboratory testing, characterization, and data-driven analysis, you will evaluate product concepts, drive thermal feasibility assessments, and optimize system performance, reliability, and efficiency. The role includes ownership of key thermal technologies and roadmaps that enable future generations of networking, optics, and rack-scale infrastructure solutions.
You will:
- Work with key stakeholders to align on product requirements, performance metrics, and boundary conditions
- Develop approach to evaluate all thermal aspects of a product concept, considering constraints on prototype availability, product schedule, and thermal risk
- Develop thermal solutions internally or with vendor partners including heat sinks, cold plates, air movers, air shrouds, sealing, thermal interface material, venting, thermal controls, and more
- Present findings to thermal engineers and management to identify problem areas and opportunities to improve design for cost, power, and cooling efficiency
- Follow existing practices and procedures for product development. Develop and improve practices and procedures where necessary or desirable
BASIC QUALIFICATIONS
Every Dell Technologies team member brings something unique to the table. Here’s what we are looking for with this role:
Essential Requirements
- BS or Master’s degree in Mechanical Engineering with a focus on thermal engineering + 8 years of relevant industry experience
- Experience in CFD modelling for internal flow and electronic cooling applications
- Proven experience instrumenting thermal tests and test plans
- Strong communication skills with multi-disciplinary teams; strong drive to work through challenging compromises to achieve the optimal thermal solution
PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS
Desirable Requirements
- Experience working with CREO, experience with air and liquid cooling in server or network electronics industry
- Knowledge of cooling requirements for GPU’s or CPU’s or NPU’s or rack L11
COMPENSATION
Dell is committed to fair and equitable compensation practices. The salary range for this position is $164k - $226k.
BENEFITS AND PERKS OF WORKING AT DELL TECHNOLOGIES
Your life. Your health. Supported by your benefits. You can explore the overall benefits experience that awaits you as a Dell Technologies team member — right now at MyWellatDell.com.
INTRODUCTION
Infrastructure Solutions Group (ISG) builds the products that power infrastructure, solutions, and data management our customers need most. Our teams design and develop the hardware and software that connect infrastructure, accelerate computational workloads, integrate across the stack, protect data continuity, and deliver the platforms, applications, and diagnostics our customers rely on every day at enterprise scale.
Some product builders follow the rules. Ours rewrite them.
Within ISG, innovation isn't just about creating new technology - it's about challenging assumptions and reimagining how work gets done. Engineers define intent, author precise specifications, and orchestrate AI agents that execute at speed and scale. AI is embedded throughout our development process, helping us move faster, learn quicker, and deliver greater impact. Yet the most important contribution remains uniquely human: deciding what to build, designing how it should work, and applying the judgment needed to earn our customers' trust. When your products power critical infrastructure around the world, that responsibility matters.
We move quickly toward the work that matters most. We reward experimentation, encourage bold thinking, and remove unnecessary barriers so great ideas can become reality faster. Our teams embrace a customer-first, first-to-market mindset, transforming rapid feedback into better products and better outcomes. We aren't looking for people who are content with the status quo - we look for builders who question it, improve it, and occasionally rewrite it.
If you're energized by solving complex systems challenges, excited to work alongside AI to amplify your impact, and motivated by the opportunity to shape what's next instead of simply maintaining what's been done before, you'll find your place here.
ROLE AND RESPONSIBILITIES
Thermal Senior Principal Engineer
Join us as a Thermal Senior Principal Engineer on our Network Engineer Hardware team in Franklin, MA or Austin, TX to do the best work of your career and make a profound social impact.
What you’ll achieve
As a Thermal Engineer, you will be responsible for the thermal architecture, design, and validation of Dell's next-generation Network Switches (L10) and Network L11 integrated rack solutions. Working across mechanical, electrical, hardware, power, and system engineering teams, you will develop innovative cooling solutions for high-performance networking platforms supporting AI, HPC, and cloud workloads. Utilizing thermal simulation, laboratory testing, characterization, and data-driven analysis, you will evaluate product concepts, drive thermal feasibility assessments, and optimize system performance, reliability, and efficiency. The role includes ownership of key thermal technologies and roadmaps that enable future generations of networking, optics, and rack-scale infrastructure solutions.
You will:
- Work with key stakeholders to align on product requirements, performance metrics, and boundary conditions
- Develop approach to evaluate all thermal aspects of a product concept, considering constraints on prototype availability, product schedule, and thermal risk
- Develop thermal solutions internally or with vendor partners including heat sinks, cold plates, air movers, air shrouds, sealing, thermal interface material, venting, thermal controls, and more
- Present findings to thermal engineers and management to identify problem areas and opportunities to improve design for cost, power, and cooling efficiency
- Follow existing practices and procedures for product development. Develop and improve practices and procedures where necessary or desirable
BASIC QUALIFICATIONS
Every Dell Technologies team member brings something unique to the table. Here’s what we are looking for with this role:
Essential Requirements
- BS or Master’s degree in Mechanical Engineering with a focus on thermal engineering + 8 years of relevant industry experience
- Experience in CFD modelling for internal flow and electronic cooling applications
- Proven experience instrumenting thermal tests and test plans
- Strong communication skills with multi-disciplinary teams; strong drive to work through challenging compromises to achieve the optimal thermal solution
PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS
Desirable Requirements
- Experience working with CREO, experience with air and liquid cooling in server or network electronics industry
- Knowledge of cooling requirements for GPU’s or CPU’s or NPU’s or rack L11
COMPENSATION
Dell is committed to fair and equitable compensation practices. The salary range for this position is $164k - $226k.
BENEFITS AND PERKS OF WORKING AT DELL TECHNOLOGIES
Your life. Your health. Supported by your benefits. You can explore the overall benefits experience that awaits you as a Dell Technologies team member — right now at MyWellatDell.com.
See All 13 Senior Level Thermal Engineer Jobs
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Find JobsSenior Level Thermal Engineer Job Market
Who's Hiring
Top Industries Hiring
- Manufacturing
- Aerospace & Defense
- Technology & Software
- Electronics & Hardware
- Consulting & Professional Services
Senior Level Thermal Engineer Jobs: Frequently Asked Questions
How do I get a senior level thermal engineer job?
Employers at this level look for engineers who have owned thermal design outcomes end to end, not just supported them. Demonstrating that you have set thermal requirements, resolved system-level failures, and mentored junior engineers carries more weight than credentials alone. A portfolio showing complex heat transfer problems you solved independently, plus experience interfacing with mechanical, electrical, and manufacturing teams, gives candidates a clear edge.
Which companies hire senior level thermal engineers?
Companies hiring senior level thermal engineers right now include Trane Technologies, Kbr, and Rivian, based on current listings on Migrate Mate as of November 2026. Hiring at this level tends to come from aerospace primes, defense contractors, semiconductor manufacturers, and energy companies with complex thermal management programs that require deep technical ownership rather than task execution.
Are there remote senior level thermal engineer jobs?
Yes, though thermal engineering roles often require lab access or hardware collaboration, so full remote is less common than hybrid. About 40% of senior level thermal engineer openings are remote or hybrid as of November 2026, with hybrid arrangements most typical at large aerospace and defense employers where some bench time is expected but travel and remote work are built into the schedule.
What makes a thermal engineer role senior level?
Senior thermal engineer roles are defined by ownership and scope. At this level, engineers lead the thermal architecture decisions for a product or system, set design requirements rather than implement them, and are accountable for program outcomes. Mentoring junior engineers, coordinating across disciplines, and resolving novel heat transfer challenges without close supervision are standard expectations that distinguish senior roles from mid-level positions.
Which industries hire the most senior level thermal engineers?
Senior level thermal engineer roles concentrate in Manufacturing, Aerospace & Defense, and Technology & Software, based on current listings on Migrate Mate as of November 2026. These sectors drive hiring at this level because their products, whether spacecraft, defense electronics, power systems, or semiconductor packaging, involve demanding thermal environments where system-level engineering expertise and technical leadership directly affect program success and product reliability.