Product Engineer Thermal Systems (Automotive / EV)

Overview / Summary

We are seeking a Product Engineer Thermal Systems to lead the mechanical design and development of thermal system hardware for automotive applications. This role involves designing and developing components and assemblies across coolant, refrigeration, and HVAC/climate control subsystems, translating system performance and packaging requirements into detailed, manufacturable designs.

The ideal candidate will have a strong background in mechanical engineering, 3D CAD design, automotive product development, GD&T, and design for manufacturing and assembly.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the mechanical design of thermal system hardware across one or more subsystems, from concept development through production release.
• Design thermal components and assemblies across coolant, refrigeration, and HVAC/climate control systems using 3D CAD tools.
• Package and route thermal hardware within vehicle architectures while resolving space, interface, and clearance constraints with adjacent systems.
• Translate thermal, hydraulic, and refrigerant performance requirements into physical designs that meet thermal, pressure, and flow targets.
• Develop designs optimized for manufacturing processes, including injection molding, brazing, stamping, extrusion, and machining.
• Collaborate with suppliers on tooling and manufacturing feasibility to balance cost, weight, and quality.
• Apply GD&T principles, perform tolerance stack-up analysis, and define critical dimensions to ensure component fit, sealing, and functionality.
• Support structural, flow, thermal, and durability analysis in collaboration with engineering analysis teams.
• Utilize DFMEA to identify and mitigate potential design failure modes.
• Create and release detailed component and assembly drawings, manage engineering changes, and maintain CAD data and bills of materials throughout product development.
• Collaborate with system engineers, subsystem engineers, controls engineers, test engineers, and suppliers.
• Support design reviews, validation activities, and product launch readiness.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering or a related engineering discipline.
• Minimum of 3 years of experience in mechanical design of automotive components or systems.
• Proficiency in 3D CAD tools such as CATIA, Siemens NX, or 3DEXPERIENCE for part and assembly modeling and detailing.
• Working knowledge of Geometric Dimensioning and Tolerancing (GD&T) and tolerance stack-up analysis.
• Understanding of Design for Manufacturing and Assembly (DFM/DFA) across multiple manufacturing processes, such as molding, brazing, and stamping.
• Familiarity with heat transfer, fluid dynamics, and pressure-system fundamentals as applied to thermal hardware.

Preferred Qualifications

• Master's degree in a relevant engineering discipline.
• Direct experience designing thermal hardware, including coolant loops, refrigeration or heat-pump circuits, heat exchangers, or HVAC units.
• Experience with electric vehicle (EV) thermal management systems, including battery, drive unit, power electronics, and cabin heating and cooling.
• Familiarity with refrigeration and HVAC systems.
• Experience with actuator- and valve-driven hardware and control interfaces.
• Experience with DFMEA, DVP&R, and production part release and engineering change management processes.

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