Thermal Engineer
Quick facts
- Pay
- $195,000 - $230,000 USD
- Type
- Full-time
- Location
- Mountain View, CA
- Industry
- Engineering — 264 open jobs
- Visa in listing
- H-1B, OPT
- Apply
- Free to apply — never pay anyone for a job offer or visa sponsorship
Job description
About the role
We're growing the thermal team, so you'll have real scope and a say in how the function is built.
You will own the thermal design that enables our AI accelerators — from the silicon package out to the system-level. You'll take thermal solutions from concept through production: building the models, running the simulations, designing the solution, and then proving it on real hardware. This is a hands-on role with a heavy validation component — you'll spend as much time closing the gap between your model and your measurements as building the model in the first place. You'll work directly with vendors on thermal solution development, and with our packaging, mechanical, and electrical teams on the tradeoffs that decide how much power we can put through a part.
What You'll Do
- Own package-level thermal design and the thermal solution that supports it, from concept through production.
- Own thermal validation and verification — build the test plans, run them, and close the loop between measurement and model.
- Drive hands-on thermal simulations in Ansys Icepak (or equivalent) and 1D flow network modeling (Macroflow or equivalent) for system-level analysis.
- Support system-level thermal design for datacenter applications and engage directly with vendors on thermal solution development.
- Use and develop AI-assisted tool flows to accelerate thermal modeling, data processing, and signoff timelines.
What We're Looking For
- 5+ years of thermal design experience on advanced compute hardware, with demonstrated ownership of a thermal design from concept through production
- Exceptional abilities in thermal design and analysis: strong background in heat transfer and fluid dynamics fundamentals
- Hands-on with Ansys Icepak (or equivalent) for detailed CFD, and with 1D flow network tools (Macroflow or equivalent) for system-level analysis
- Demonstrated ability to work closely with packaging, mechanical, electrical, and vendor partners to converge and validate thermal solutions
- Experience in designing liquid cooled solutions for data center applications
- Experience with TIM selection and characterization
- Ability to distill complex thermal data into actionable recommendations for both technical and non-technical stakeholders
- Hands-on thermal measurement and characterization experience -- thermal test development, instrumentation, and test-to-model correlation. Experience establishing thermal test capability from the ground up is a plus
Compensation
Final offers depend on level, location, and skills relevant to the role. Additional compensation: equity grant per company guidelines; medical / dental / vision; 401(k); standard PTO.
Visa Sponsorship
DensityAI sponsors qualified candidates for H-1B, O-1, TN, E-3, and other employment-based visas, and we welcome applicants on F-1 OPT and STEM-OPT. Work authorization is required at start; we provide immigration support to secure or transfer status.
Export Controls
Aspects of this role may involve access to information subject to U.S. export controls (EAR/ITAR). We may discuss licensing or scope adjustments during the interview.
Equal Opportunity
DensityAI is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religious creed, national origin, ancestry, physical or mental disability, medical condition, genetic information, marital status, sex, gender, gender identity, gender expression, age (40+), sexual orientation, military or veteran status, pregnancy, or any other status protected by law. We comply with the California CROWN Act and provide reasonable accommodations on request.
Full compensation packages are based on candidate experience and relevant certifications.
California pay range
$195,000 - $230,000 USD
Compensation
Final offers depend on level, location, and skills relevant to the role. Additional compensation: equity grant per company guidelines; medical / dental / vision; 401(k); standard PTO.
Visa Sponsorship
DensityAI sponsors qualified candidates for H-1B, O-1, TN, E-3, and other employment-based visas, and we welcome applicants on F-1 OPT and STEM-OPT. Work authorization is required at start; we provide immigration support to secure or transfer status.
Export Controls
Aspects of this role may involve access to information subject to U.S. export controls (EAR/ITAR). We may discuss licensing or scope adjustments during the interview.
Equal Opportunity
DensityAI is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religious creed, national origin, ancestry, physical or mental disability, medical condition, genetic information, marital status, sex, gender, gender identity, gender expression, age (40+), sexual orientation, military or veteran status, pregnancy, or any other status protected by law. We comply with the California CROWN Act and provide reasonable accommodations on request.
Full compensation packages are based on candidate experience and relevant certifications.
Visa sponsorship record
No public sponsorship records foundWe didn't find H-1B, H-1B1, E-3 or green card (PERM) filings under the name DensityAI in the Department of Labor and USCIS data. That doesn't mean the job can't be sponsored — the company may file under a different legal name, be new to sponsorship, or sponsor a visa that isn't in these datasets (for example H-2B or J-1).
Tip: ask the recruiter early, in writing, which visa they sponsor and whether they cover the legal and filing fees.
Which visas can work for this job
Occupation: Mechanical Engineers (SOC 17-2141).
- Mentioned in the listing
H-1B, OPT
- H-1B cap-exempt employer
Regular cap-subject employer — a new H-1B needs to win the lottery in March (unless you already hold cap-counted H-1B status).
- TN (citizens of Canada and Mexico)
This kind of role may fit the USMCA profession “Engineer” — it depends on the actual duties. No lottery, no cap; you need the matching degree or license.
- E-3 (Australia) and H-1B1 (Chile, Singapore)
Same degree requirement as H-1B, but no lottery and a separate quota that is rarely filled.
- O-1 (extraordinary ability)
For candidates with awards, publications, press, a high salary or critical roles at distinguished organizations. No cap, no lottery; the employer files a petition.
- STEM OPT extension (F-1 students)
Requires an E-Verify employer. We didn't find this company in the E-Verify list — ask HR.
Salary vs prevailing wage
Level IV (fully competent)Mechanical Engineers · San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA. Annual prevailing wages set by the Department of Labor (OFLC).
| Level | Prevailing wage | H-1B lottery odds* |
|---|---|---|
| Level I | $117,998 | ~15% |
| Level II | $141,835 | ~31% |
| Level III | $165,693 | ~46% |
| Level IV | $189,530 | ~61% |
This job pays $195,000–$230,000 a year — that's Level IV (fully competent). In the wage-weighted H-1B lottery a Level IV registration gets 4 entries; estimated selection chance about 61% — better than average.
* Odds are DHS projections for the FY2027 wage-weighted lottery (actual results vary by year and employer). Since the FY2027 cap season the H-1B lottery is weighted by wage level: Level I = 1 entry, II = 2, III = 3, IV = 4. The level is set by the offered wage against the prevailing wage for the occupation and worksite. Separately, a $100,000 fee for new H-1B petitions for workers outside the US was announced in 2025; as of September 2026 a federal court ruling keeps it unenforceable while appeals continue — check the current status.
Sources: U.S. Department of Labor OFLC disclosure data (H-1B/H-1B1/E-3 LCA, PERM), OFLC prevailing wage data, USCIS H-1B Employer Data Hub, E-Verify participating employers. Data loaded: LCA FY2024–FY2026, PERM, USCIS Data Hub, OFLC wages; updated 2026-10-03. Employers are matched by name, so records of companies with similar names can occasionally be mixed up. This is general information, not legal advice — talk to an immigration attorney about your case.