Top of their industry manufacturing company in central Oregon is seeking an Innovation Engineer to join their growing team. This person will be a key member of the Research & Development team, responsible for conceptualizing and validating the next generation of data center cooling technologies. As thermal loads increase due to high-performance computing and AI, this role focuses on moving beyond traditional air-cooling into advanced liquid cooling, two-phase immersion, and high-efficiency heat exchange systems. The ideal candidate combines deep thermodynamic theory with "hands-on" prototyping experience to bridge the gap between abstract concepts and production-ready thermal solutions. This position requires relocation to the local area to report to the facility daily.
Research & Development: Lead the end-to-end development of "blue-sky" cooling concepts, from initial napkin sketches to functional thermal models.
Prototyping & Lab Validation: Design, build, and oversee the construction of Proof-of-Concept (PoC) units in the R&D lab; conduct rigorous testing for performance, acoustics, and pressure drops.
Advanced Simulation: Perform high-fidelity Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) and Finite Element Analysis (FEA) using tools like Ansys Fluent or 6SigmaET to predict airflow and thermal gradients.
Industry Alignment: Monitor and integrate emerging industry standards, including Open Compute Project (OCP) guidelines and ASHRAE TC 9.9 thermal requirements.
Collaboration: Act as the technical bridge between Product Management and Manufacturing Engineering to ensure new designs are scalable and cost-effective.
Intellectual Property: Identify and document novel cooling methods to support the company’s patent portfolio and competitive advantage.
Mandatory Criteria:
Data Center Industry Experience: A minimum of 7+ years of direct experience in data center infrastructure, HVAC manufacturing, or thermal management systems.
Work Authorization:Must be a U.S. Citizen or Permanent Resident (Green Card holder). We are unable to provide visa sponsorship for this position.
Technical Skills:
Education: Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or a related thermal science discipline.
Thermal Expertise: Advanced understanding of the vapor compression cycle, psychrometrics, and liquid cooling manifolds (Direct-to-Chip, CDU design).
Software Proficiency: Expert-level experience with 3D CAD (SolidWorks or Autodesk) and thermal simulation suites.
Critical Thinking: A proven ability to "fail fast" through iterative prototyping and data-driven decision-making.
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