Senior Mechanical Engineer – Thermal Simulation & Analysis

JOB SUMMARY
The Senior Mechanical Engineer Thermal Simulation & Analysis is responsible for designing and optimizing thermal systems for Apptroniks humanoid robot, Apollo. This role focuses on solving complex thermal challenges across actuators, embedded compute, and battery systems within tightly constrained robotic architectures. The engineer will own major subsystems, contribute to system-level design decisions, and ensure thermal performance meets safety, reliability, and operational requirements.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES or KEY ACCOUNTABILITIES

Design and develop thermal management solutions (passive and active) for actuators, compute systems, and battery packs
Build and execute CFD and heat transfer simulations to guide design decisions
Perform transient thermal analysis for dynamic robot operation and varying duty cycles
Collaborate cross-functionally with mechanical, electrical, and controls teams to integrate thermal solutions
Supports test plan creation by identifying critical thermal scenarios from CFD and transient models and defining corresponding instrumentation and test procedures.
Mentor junior level engineers and act as the technical escalation point for hardest problems.
Correlate simulation results with physical test data and refine models accordingly
Contribute to material selection (TIMs, heat spreaders, alloys) balancing performance, weight, and cost
Develop and document thermal design guidelines and best practices

SKILLS AND REQUIREMENTS
Strong proficiency in CFD tools (e.g., Ansys Icepak, Fluent, or similar)
Solid understanding of heat transfer principles: conduction, convection, and radiation
Experience with transient thermal modeling and real-world duty cycles
Ability to perform first-order thermal calculations to guide design decisions
Strong cross-functional collaboration and communication skills
Experience working with physical hardware and test environments

EDUCATION and/or EXPERIENCE
Bachelors or Masters degree (or equivalent) in Mechanical Engineering or related field
At least 58 years of experience in thermal design and simulation for electromechanical systems

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS

Prolonged periods of sitting at a desk and working on a computer
Must be able to lift 15 pounds at times
Vision to read printed materials and a computer screen
Hearing and speech to communicate