Mechanical & Thermal Staff Engineer
Job Location:
Eindhoven - Netherlands
Monthly Salary:
Posted on:
Vacancies:
Job Summary
About Us
In just four years we have raised a total of $370 million and have built a world-class team of 220 employees (including 49 PhDs with more than 40000 citations) both remotely from 18 different countries and with offices in Belgium France Switzerland Italy the UK headquartered at the High Tech Campus in Eindhoven Netherlands.
We have also launched our Metis AI Platform which achieves a 3-5x increase in efficiency and performance and have visibility into a strong business pipeline exceeding $100 million.
Our unwavering commitment to innovation has firmly established us as a global industry pioneer.
Are you up for the challenge
Position Overview
We are looking for a Staff Mechanical & Thermal Engineer to lead the development of cooling solutions for our AI accelerator cards and platforms based on Axeleras processors targeted at the full spectrum from edge devices to high-performance computing (HPC) platforms. Typical products include PCIe accelerator cards M.2 form-factor modules OEM single board computer.
The role has two clear missions:
Lead the design of Axeleras AI accelerator cards and platforms ensuring mechanical fit and thermal performance from concept to production hand-off owning both in-house design and the technical management of external suppliers for outsourced cooling solutions.
Test and validate the cooling solution end-to-end including thermal simulation simulation-to-test correlation lab execution and characterisation reporting suitable for senior management suppliers and customers.
You will own the cooling-solution life-cycle from concept and structured trade-off analysis through validation and production hand-off in close collaboration with industry partners OEM customers and external suppliers.
The following domains are not relevant for this role: HVAC automotive/aerospace thermal additive manufacturing simulation and pure research roles.
Key responsibilities:
Design Leadership
Architect cooling solutions across the full technology set: passive heat sinks heat pipes vapor chambers cold plates and heat spreaders for fanless systems
Drive make-or-buy decisions; manage in-house design or supplier-outsourced development accordingly
Run the full CFD cycle (model setup correlation with test data) from chip to system level
Lead structured trade-off analysis and arrive at design reviews with clear evidence-based recommendations
Partner with PCB and electronics engineers to co-optimise thermal and electrical design from the start
Test & Validation
Define and execute validation plans with documented simulation-to-test correlation
Run hands-on thermal lab work: chambers multi-channel DAQ thermocouples airflow and power measurements
Apply DOE methodology to plan campaigns efficiently within constrained test budgets
Automate measurement workflows and post-processing pipelines in Python
Produce clear characterisation reports usable by management suppliers and customers without further interpretation
Supplier & Cross-functional Management
Scout qualify and manage cooling suppliers across the full lifecycle: NRE sample qualification design freeze production transfer quality resolution (8D)
Maintain project planning in Jira/Confluence and communicate status proactively across functions
Requirements:
10 years in board/system-level mechanical and thermal design for electronics including HPC-class platforms
Demonstrated experience with PCIe accelerator cards M.2 thermal solutions and fanless embedded systems
Full ownership of CFD/FEM simulation cycles (FloEFD Icepak or equivalent)
High-TDP chip cooling (200 W) forced-air server integration heat pipe and vapor chamber design
Proficiency in 3D CAD (NX SolidWorks or similar) and rapid prototyping (3D printing CNC)
Python for test automation and data post-processing; comfortable in Linux environments
Solid grasp of DOE uncertainty analysis and simulation-to-test correlation methodologies
Track record of supplier management including NRE negotiation and quality issue resolution
Strong communicator able to deliver concise technical conclusions to senior stakeholders
Fluent in English; comfortable working across multicultural distributed teams
Nice to Have:
Experience with AI/ML accelerator hardware or high-density edge compute platforms
Exposure to two-phase cooling immersion cooling or cold plate design
Familiarity with LabVIEW PyVISA or version-controlled lab data pipelines
OEM customer engagement and design-in support experience
Location
Work from our Axelera AI office in Eindhoven (Netherlands). The role requires on-site lab presence for the test and validation activities and is not remote-compatible.
What weoffer
This is your chance to shape and be part of a dynamic fast-growing international organization. We offer an attractive compensation package including a pension plan extensive employee insurances and the option to get company shares.
An open culture that supports creativity and continual innovation is awaiting you. Collaborative ownership and freedom with responsibility is characteristic for the way we act and work as a team.
At Axelera AI we wholeheartedly embrace equal opportunity and hold diversity in the highest regard. Our steadfast commitment is to cultivate a warm and inclusive environment that empowers and celebrates every member of our team. We welcome applicants from all backgrounds to join us in shaping the future of AI.
Required Experience:
Staff IC
About Company
Bring data insights to the edge, increasing the performance of your solutions with a cost-effective and efficient inference chip. Axelera’s AI processing unit is designed to seamlessly integrate into your innovations so you can focus on your customer!
