Senior Mechanical Engineer – Thermal Simulation & Analysis

JOB SUMMARY
The Senior Mechanical Engineer – Thermal Simulation & Analysis is responsible for designing and optimizing thermal systems for Apptronik’s humanoid robot, Apollo. This role focuses on solving complex thermal challenges across actuators, embedded compute, and battery systems within tightly constrained robotic architectures. The engineer will own major subsystems, contribute to system-level design decisions, and ensure thermal performance meets safety, reliability, and operational requirements.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES or KEY ACCOUNTABILITIES
● Design and develop thermal management solutions (passive and active) for actuators, compute systems, and battery packs
● Build and execute CFD and heat transfer simulations to guide design decisions
● Perform transient thermal analysis for dynamic robot operation and varying duty cycles
● Collaborate cross-functionally with mechanical, electrical, and controls teams to integrate thermal solutions
● Supports test plan creation by identifying critical thermal scenarios from CFD and transient models and defining corresponding instrumentation and test procedures.
● Mentor junior level engineers and act as the technical escalation point for hardest problems.
● Correlate simulation results with physical test data and refine models accordingly
● Contribute to material selection (TIMs, heat spreaders, alloys) balancing performance, weight, and cost
● Develop and document thermal design guidelines and best practices

SKILLS AND REQUIREMENTS
● Strong proficiency in CFD tools (e.g., Ansys Icepak, Fluent, or similar)
● Solid understanding of heat transfer principles: conduction, convection, and radiation
● Experience with transient thermal modeling and real-world duty cycles
● Ability to perform first-order thermal calculations to guide design decisions
● Strong cross-functional collaboration and communication skills
● Experience working with physical hardware and test environments

EDUCATION and/or EXPERIENCE
● Bachelor’s or Master’s degree (or equivalent) in Mechanical Engineering or related field
● At least 5–8 years of experience in thermal design and simulation for electromechanical systems

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS
● Prolonged periods of sitting at a desk and working on a computer
● Must be able to lift 15 pounds at times
● Vision to read printed materials and a computer screen
● Hearing and speech to communicate