About this opportunity
Sanmina Corporation lists this Principal Design Engineer opportunity in huntsville, Alabama. Review the employer’s description below for duties, qualifications and application requirements.
Job description
Job Summary
We are seeking a highly skilled PCBA Liquid Cooling Design Engineer to lead the development of innovative thermal management systems for advanced electronic assemblies. In this role, you will design direct-to-chip cold plates, custom fluid loops, and micro-channel systems that sit directly on high-density PCBAs. You will collaborate closely with hardware layout designers and manufacturing partners to build reliable, leak-free, and highly efficient cooling architectures.
Key Responsibilities
Thermal Solution Design: Architect and engineer board-level liquid cooling systems, including direct-to-chip cold plates, manifolds, and custom fittings.
Simulation & Analysis: Perform Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) and Finite Element Analysis (FEA) using tools like Ansys Icepak, FloTherm, or Fluent to predict fluid dynamics, pressure drops, and thermal resistance.
Component Integration: Select and specify critical loop components such as pumps, quick-disconnect valves, hoses, and leak detection sensors.
PCBA Cross-Collaboration: Partner with PCB layout engineers to optimize component placement, layout thickness, and copper weight for maximum thermal dissipation.
Prototyping & Testing: Set up and execute hardware-level thermal validation tests, including hydrostatic pressure, leak/decay verification, and environmental chamber cycling.
Failure Analysis: Conduct root-cause analysis on structural stress, thermal throttling, galvanic corrosion, and fluid degradation.
DFM Optimization: Ensure designs comply with Design for Manufacturing (DFM) requirements to guarantee scalable assembly and fluid charging processes on the production line.
Required Technical Skills
CAD Software: Proficiency in 3D modeling tools like SolidWorks, PTC Creo, or Siemens NX for physical integration.
CFD/FEA Tools: Advanced skills in thermal simulation software such as Ansys Icepak, FloTherm, or SimScale.
PCBA Familiarity: Practical knowledge of PCB fabrication, electronic component layouts, and standard testing tools like oscilloscopes and multimeters.
Fluid Dynamics & Metallurgy: Strong grasp of single-phase/two-phase heat transfer, fluid flow behavior, and material compatibility (e.g., copper-to-coolant interactions).
Lab Equipment: Experience with flow meters, thermocouples, pressure transducers, and data acquisition (DAQ) systems.
Qualifications
Education: Masters degree in Mechanical Engineering, Thermal Engineering, or a highly related technical field.
Experience: 3+ years of experience specifically focused on electronic cooling, liquid loops, or data center thermal design.
Standards: Familiarity with international standards governing pressure vessels and electronics cooling, such as ASME, ISO, and ASHRAE guidelines.
Preferred Qualifications
Experience designing cooling for AI hardware clusters, high-performance computing (HPC) environments, or EV power electronics.
In-depth understanding of immersion cooling or phase-change cooling mechanisms.
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Worksite address
huntsville, AL, 35824, US
Who can apply
Review the original listing for work authorization, qualifications and employer requirements.