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Lead Thermal Design Simulation Engineer Jobs (NOW HIRING)

OpenAI

Lead Thermal Simulation Engineer

San Francisco, CA · On-site

$423K - $485K/yr

About the Role We are seeking a lead thermal simulation engineer to help accelerate the design and development of next-generation robotic systems through modeling, simulation, and analysis. You will ...

Exowatt, Inc.

Lead Thermal Design Engineer

Miami, FL · On-site

$98K - $129K/yr

We are seeking a Lead Thermal Design Engineer to lead the design, development, and optimization of ... Proficiency with thermal simulation tools (ANSYS, COMSOL, SolarPILOT, or equivalent) * Experience ...

Exowatt

Lead Thermal Design Engineer (Austin, TX)

Austin, TX · On-site

$101K - $133K/yr

We are seeking a Lead Thermal Design Engineer to lead the design, development, and optimization of ... Proficiency with thermal and structural simulation tools (ANSYS, COMSOL, SolarPILOT, or equivalent ...

Cornelis Networks

Thermal Design Engineer

Wayne, PA · On-site

Cornelis Networks is hiring a talented Entry-Level Thermal Engineer with a foundational ... In this entry-level role, you will support the design, simulation, and physical testing of thermal ...

Exowatt

Lead Thermal Design Engineer (Austin, TX)

Austin, TX · On-site

$101K - $133K/yr

We are seeking a Lead Thermal Design Engineer to lead the design, development, and optimization of ... Proficiency with thermal and structural simulation tools (ANSYS, COMSOL, SolarPILOT, or equivalent ...

Cornelis Networks

Thermal Design Engineer

Wayne, PA · Hybrid

Cornelis Networks is hiring a talented Entry-Level Thermal Engineer with a foundational ... In this entry-level role, you will support the design, simulation, and physical testing of thermal ...

Enphase Energy

Senior Staff Thermal Engineer

Austin, TX · On-site

$103K - $142K/yr

Lead thermal design from concept through validation for high-power-density power electronics and ... Correlate simulation results with hardware measurements and iterate models to maintain * Lead ...

Legrand North America

Thermal Design Engineer

Reno, NV · On-site

Develop simulation-driven design improvements to optimize product performance, power density, and thermal efficiency * Support new product development (NPD) initiatives through early-stage design ...

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How much do lead thermal design simulation engineer jobs pay per year?

As of Sep 11, 2026, the average yearly pay for lead thermal design simulation engineer in the United States is $123,399.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $92,000.00 and $146,500.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

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Infographic showing various Lead Thermal Design Simulation Engineer job openings in the United States as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 89% Full Time, 9% Part Time, and 2% Contract. Highlights an 89% Physical, 3% Hybrid, and 8% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $123,399 per year, or $59.3 per hour.

Lead Thermal Simulation Engineer

San Francisco, CA • On-site

OpenAI
Scientific Research and Development Services • 201 - 500 employees
Learn more about OpenAIexternal

Other

Re-posted 2 days ago

Job description

About the Team

Our Robotics team is focused on unlocking general-purpose robotics and pushing towards AGI-level intelligence in dynamic, real-world settings. Working across the entire model stack, we integrate cutting-edge hardware and software to explore a broad range of robotic form factors. We strive to seamlessly blend high-level AI capabilities with the constraints of physical systems to improve people's lives.

About the Role

We are seeking a lead thermal simulation engineer to help accelerate the design and development of next-generation robotic systems through modeling, simulation, and analysis. You will work closely with mechanical, electrical, controls, and robotics engineers to evaluate designs before hardware is built, identify risks early, and guide critical architecture decisions.

This role spans structural and thermal analysis and design across robotic subsystems including actuators, mechanisms, structures, electronics, and integrated systems. You will develop simulation workflows that improve engineering velocity, increase confidence in design decisions, and help us build more capable, reliable, and manufacturable robotic platforms.

This role is based in San Francisco, CA. This role will be expected to be in office 4 days per week and offer relocation assistance to new employees.

In this role, you will:

  • Perform thermal simulations to assess heat generation, cooling strategies, thermal interfaces, and system-level thermal performance

  • Partner with mechanical, electrical, and controls engineers to influence design decisions early in development

  • Build simulation models to evaluate robotic actuators, transmissions, mechanisms, structures, soft goods, and integrated assemblies

  • Correlate simulation results with physical testing and develop methodologies to improve model accuracy

  • Support architecture trade studies by evaluating design concepts before hardware is built

  • Develop simulation workflows, standards, and best practices that scale across the robotics organization

  • Identify technical risks and recommend design changes to improve performance, reliability, and manufacturability

  • Support root cause investigations by combining test data, failure analysis, and simulation results

  • Contribute to long-term simulation capabilities including multiphysics modeling, digital twins, and system-level analysis

You might thrive in this role if you:

  • Enjoy using first-principles engineering and simulation to solve complex multidisciplinary problems

  • Are comfortable operating in ambiguous environments where simulation and design helps guide architecture decisions rather than simply validate finished designs

  • Have strong intuition for mechanical systems and can connect simulation results to real-world hardware behavior

  • Balance modeling rigor with practical engineering judgment and development speed

  • Enjoy collaborating closely with hardware teams and influencing products from concept through deployment

Preferred qualifications:

  • Experience performing thermal simulation and design of complex electromechanical systems

  • Proficiency with commercial CAE tools such as Simcenter 3D, Abaqus, Ansys, Nastran, LS-DYNA, COMSOL, or equivalent platforms

  • Experience correlating simulation models with physical test data and validation campaigns for high volume products

  • Familiarity with robotic systems, actuators, mechanisms, power electronics, batteries, or other highly integrated hardware systems

  • Experience developing simulation methodologies, automation tools, or organization-wide thermal workflows

We are an equal opportunity employer, and we do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, age, veteran status, disability, genetic information, or other applicable legally protected characteristic.

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