Product Development Engineer Jobs in Chicago, IL

Amphenol Communications Solutions (ACS), a division of Amphenol Corporation, is a world leader in interconnect solutions for Communications, Mobile, RF, Optics, and Commercial electronics markets. Amphenol Corporation is one of the world’s largest designers and manufacturers of electrical, electronic and fiber optic connectors and interconnect systems, antennas, sensors and sensor-based products and coaxial and high-speed specialty cable. ACS has an expansive global presence in research and development, manufacturing, and sales. We design and manufacture a wide range of innovative connectors as well as cable assemblies for diverse applications including server, storage, data center, mobile, RF, networking, industrial, business equipment, and automotive.

Job Title: Senior Product Development / Thermal Engineer – Liquid Cooling

Amphenol High Speed Products Group is the market leader for high speed, high bandwidth electrical connectors for the Telecom/Datacom market (Mobile Networks, Storage, Servers, Routers, Switches, etc.). Our products help to enable the electronics revolution and remain a key enabler for all the major Tier 1 OEMs globally. We are currently seeking a Product Development Engineer - Liquid Cooling to join our team. The position will be located on-site in Schaumburg, IL. 

Position Overview

Amphenol is seeking a highly skilled and motivated Senior Product Development Engineer to lead the design and development of liquid cooling solutions for front-end I/O connectors that will power the next generation of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) platforms. This role is critical to advancing thermal management technologies that support high-performance computing environments.

Key Responsibilities

Design & Development

• Architect and develop liquid cooling plates optimized for high-density front-end I/O connector applications.
• Engineer microchannel structures, cold plate geometries, and flow path configurations to maximize thermal efficiency and minimize pressure drop.
• Select and integrate materials compatible with high-performance thermal transfer and long-term reliability in data center environments.
• Collaborate with connector design teams to ensure seamless mechanical integration and manufacturability.

 Testing & Validation

• Define and execute thermal performance testing, including heat dissipation, flow rate analysis, and environmental stress testing.
• Validate cooling plate designs against industry standards and customer-specific requirements.
• Work with internal labs and external partners to ensure robust qualification and certification processes.

 Project Management

• Lead cross-functional development projects from concept through production.
• Manage timelines, deliverables, and resource coordination to meet program milestones.
• Track and report progress using structured project management tools and methodologies.

Customer Engagement

• Serve as a technical liaison with key customers to understand requirements and deliver exceptional support.
• Represent Amphenol's commitment to exceptional customer experience through proactive communication, technical presentations, and issue resolution.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's or Master's degree in Mechanical Engineering, Thermal Engineering, or related field.
• 4+ years of work experience in product development, preferably in thermal management or connector technologies.
• Minimum 3 years of work experience with Liquid Cooling and CFD is required (MUST HAVE)
• Strong proficiency in CAD tools (e.g., SolidWorks, Creo) and thermal simulation software (e.g., ANSYS, FloTHERM).
• Knowledge of fluid dynamics, heat exchanger design, and materials used in liquid cooling systems.
• Proven experience in project management and cross-functional collaboration.
• Excellent communication skills and customer-facing experience.

Preferred Skills

• Familiarity with high-speed I/O connector standards and applications.
• Experience in AI/ML hardware environments or data center infrastructure.

#LI-PG2

Amphenol Corporation is proud of our reputation as an excellent employer. Our focus is to provide the highest level of support and responsiveness to both our employees and our customers, the world's largest technology companies. Amphenol Corporation offers the opportunity for career growth within a global organization. We believe that Amphenol Corporation is unique in that every employee, regardless of his or her position, has the ability to positively impact the business.

Amphenol is an “Equal Opportunity Employer” - Minority/Female/Disabled/Veteran/Sexual Orientation/Gender Identity/National Origin. For additional company information please visit our website at https://www.amphenol-cs.com/