Thermal and Performance Architect

Thermal and Performance Architect Description - Job Summary   This role serves as a senior mechanical and thermal engineering leader responsible for driving large, complex initiatives that directly   impact   the company’s long-range goals and product strategy. The position defines and leads 3– 5 year   technology roadmaps for thermal and mechanical engineering,   identifying   key inflection points in Phase Change Materials (PCM), vapor chamber technologies, and active cooling innovations.   The role   operates   at the system architecture level,   leveraging   deep technical   expertise   in thermal fluids, simulation, and hardware design to influence decision-making at the highest organizational levels. This leader partners closely with silicon vendors, software, firmware, and hardware teams to co-design solutions   optimized   for performance, performance per watt, acoustics, skin temperature, and form   factor , while ensuring compliance with enterprise standards across multiple organizations and architectures.   Responsibilities   Lead multi-year thermal technology roadmaps,   identifying   and advancing innovations in PCM, vapor chambers, fans, heat pipes, and active cooling solutions across the portfolio   Partner with silicon vendors to co-design systems based on power delivery profiles and thermal maps, influencing early platform and architectural decisions   Lead deep-dive architectural and competitive analysis of thermal solutions to   maintain   leadership in performance, performance per watt, and industrial design constraints   Drive development of advanced CFD workflows to predict both steady-state and transient thermal behavior during early architecture phases   Establish system-level simulation frameworks that correlate thermal throttling behaviors with real-world software benchmarks and workloads   Architect advanced thermal tuning algorithms to balance skin temperature, fan acoustics, and system performance for real-life use cases   Lead multiple project teams of mechanical and thermal engineers, along with internal and outsourced development partners, across all phases of development including concept, design, validation, tooling, testing, and production readiness   Provide architectural consultation, design input, and feedback across new product development and design reviews spanning multiple organizations   Review designs and project activities for compliance with engineering standards, development guidelines, and quality requirements, providing actionable feedback to improve product outcomes   Troubleshoot complex mechanical, thermal, electrical, and system-level issues with minimal supervision   Guide and mentor less-experienced engineers, setting a standard for thermal design innovation, rigor, and excellence   Participate in   identifying   and developing future technical leaders within the organization   Education & Experience Recommended   Bachelor’s or   Master’s degree in Mechanical Engineering   with a focus on Thermal Fluids   Typically   10+ years of experience in similar roles such as Principal or Senior Thermal Performance Engineer   Extensive experience across the hardware development lifecycle, from early architecture through production   Required Technical Expertise   Strong thermal analysis   expertise   using CFD tools such as   Flotherm   XT, FLOEFD,   Icepak , or equivalent   Experience using thermal mockups and validation methods to confirm thermal solutions during early architecture phases   Hands-on experience with:   Fans, heat pipes, vapor chambers, fluidic and microfluidic cooling designs   Relating skin temperature, acoustics, and system performance   Designing sheet metal and plastic components, including associated production tooling and manufacturing processes   Solid understanding of manufacturing and ODM production processes (strong plus)   Proficiency   with CAD and simulation tools, including:   PTC Creo, SolidWorks, ANSYS   Finite Element Methods and 3D modeling   Knowledge & Skills   Mechanical and Thermal Engineering   Thermal Management & Performance Optimization   New Product Development & Product Lifecycle Management   Prototyping and Manufacturing Processes   Injection Molding, Machining, Sheet Metal Design   Engineering Design Process & System Architecture   Cross-Organizational Skills   Effective executive-level communication   Results orientation and ownership mindset   Learning agility in fast-evolving technology environments   Digital fluency across hardware–software boundaries   Strong customer and user-centric design perspective   Impact & Scope   Influences multiple functions and disciplines across HP   Shapes long-term thermal and mechanical strategy across the product portfolio   Complexity   Invents, develops, and introduces new thermal methods, frameworks, and technologies that   impact   multiple disciplines, platforms, and work groups   Disclaimer This job description describes the general nature and level of work performed in this role. It is not intended to be an exhaustive list of all duties, skills, responsibilities, knowledge, etc. These may be subject to change and additional functions may be assigned as needed by management. The pay range for this role is   $174,050   to   $278,450   USD annually with additional opportunities for pay in the form of bonus and/or equity (applies to United States of America candidates only). Pay varies by work location, job-related knowledge, skills, and experience. Benefits: HP offers a comprehensive benefits package for this position, including: Health insurance Dental insurance Vision insurance Long term/short term disability insurance Employee assistance program Flexible spending account Life insurance Generous time off policies, including; 4-12 weeks fully paid parental leave based on tenure 11 paid holidays A