Thermo Mechanical Engineer
Full Job Posting
The Role
You will lead the design of an advanced cooling system for a high-density AI accelerator system destined for data centre deployment. This includes developing the full cooling architecture — from Direct-to-Chip (D2C) liquid cooling through to rack-level thermal management and hybrid liquid-air solutions for host chassis. You’ll collaborate closely with mechanical engineers (internal and external), chip and board designers, and 3rd-party suppliers to define requirements, review designs, and ensure that every aspect of the system — from the cold plate up — meets performance, reliability, and manufacturability goals. We expect you to bring a mix of technical authority, practical design sense, and strong supplier management skills. You may also lead or advise on the development of a thermal test platform to validate solutions in real-world conditions.
Key Responsibilities
- Lead the design and specification of an advanced cooling solution for dense AI hardware systems
- Work closely with 3rd-party suppliers to define thermal and mechanical requirements and review proposed solutions
- Contribute to mechanical system design — specifying chassis interfaces, manifold routing, fittings, and integration details
- Model and simulate thermal performance at cold plate, chassis, and rack levels
- Develop and/or oversee a test platform to validate cooling concepts and final implementation
- Support the design of Direct-to-Chip (D2C) liquid cooling systems, Cold Plates, CDUs, and Hybrid Liquid-Air chassis
- Drive design reviews, evaluate trade-offs, and ensure solutions are manufacturable and reliable
- Liaise with system, hardware, and data centre teams to ensure the cooling architecture integrates seamlessly into overall system design
Skills & Experience Essential
- Bachelor's Degree in Mechanical Engineering
- At least 7 years of experience in developing hardware products with thermal design liquid cooling systems for high-performance computing, data centres, or equivalent high-density hardware
- Expertise with D2C liquid cooling, cold plate design, and CDU/rack-level systems
- Hands-on experience with thermal modelling and simulation tools
- Experience taking designs through prototyping, test, and production
- Strong collaboration skills — comfortable working across disciplines and with suppliers
- Familiarity with thermal-fluid analysis, materials selection, and system reliability principles
Desirable
Experience with AI accelerator or HPC hardware
Background in mechanical engineering — able to support mechanical chassis design and integration
Experience working directly with data centre operators or hyperscale infrastructure teams
Awareness of liquid handling and serviceability considerations in deployed environments
UK-based, or able to work UK hours with occasional on-site collaboration
How we work
Ownership and execution: you will have full agency to drive your work forward
Rapid iteration: we all work directly with top leadership to move from idea to hardware on ambitious timelines
Full-stack engagement: hardware, software, silicon, and modelling teams all work closely together to create a product with generational impact
Optimistic and pragmatic: we possess the will to win, and to do the hard work to get us there
Team player mentality: the mission is bigger than any of us, and we have the curiosity and technical focus to see the best idea shipped, no matter who’s it is
About us
Founded in 2022, team of 70+ which is expanding rapidly
Modern, open offices in London and Bristol
Collaborative, problem-solving culture built on deep curiosity, entrepreneurial initiative and technical fluency
Export control and security clearance
Certain roles may involve working on technologies subject to export restrictions. Applicants may be required to undergo additional eligibility checks to ensure compliance with applicable law.
About Fractile
UK private semiconductor startup building AI inference chips and systems for companies running frontier models.
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