About the job
As a member of the Annapurna ML/AI Mechanical Thermal Engineering team, you'll own the end-to-end thermal and mechanical architecture for ML/AI accelerator platforms — from initial concept through production deployment and ongoing fleet operations. You'll design mechanical and cooling solutions for some of the highest power-density silicon in the industry, balancing performance, reliability, cost, and operational efficiency at massive scale.
Responsibilities
Own the complete thermal and mechanical design for ML/AI accelerator platforms — from rack-level infrastructure down to chip packaging, including mechanical packaging, structural integrity, and interconnect systems
Define thermal and mechanical design requirements, establish design targets, and drive cross-functional alignment that enables parallel development across hardware, firmware, and software teams
Deliver production platforms through the full lifecycle: concept, design, analysis, prototyping, validation, manufacturing ramp, and fleet operations
Design and optimize cooling solutions (air and liquid) for high-power-density ML/AI accelerators
Develop detailed CFD models, compact RC models, and structural FEA for SoC/package thermal analysis and mechanical integrity
Design rack manifolds, cold plates, and data center liquid cooling interfaces for at-scale liquid-cooled deployments
Develop and validate mechanical structures including chassis and enclosures for manufacturability, reliability, and serviceability. Owning tolerance stack-up analysis, GD&T, and DFM for high-volume manufacturing methods (stamping, bending, extrusion, die-casting)
Own mechanical design of integrating high-speed interconnect subsystems including cable cartridges, backplane connectors, and mating interfaces — defining alignment, gatherability, insertion force, and serviceability requirements
Perform structural FEA for shock, vibration, and transportation loads to ensure mechanical integrity across the product lifecycle
Participate in on-call rotations monitoring fleet thermal telemetry for emergent issues
Perform root cause analysis of thermal and mechanical failures in production, implementing firmware updates, hardware modifications, or operational procedure changes
Drive design standardization
Engage with ODMs and component suppliers to drive design optimization, cost reduction, and supply chain resilience
Lead design reviews, mentor junior engineers, and contribute to the technical direction of the broader organization
Influence chip packaging decisions and establish validation methodologies
Qualifications
Minimum
BS degree in mechanical engineering or equivalent
7+ years industry experience in Mechanical and Thermal design in electronics packaging
Experience in thermal and performance measurements and characterization on SoCs, Servers, or related Systems
3+ years of experience in SoC Thermal modelling and IC package transient thermal response
Experience with chip package, system mechanical & thermal design for air-cooled and liquid-cooled systems
Experience with tolerance analysis (stack-up/GD&T) and sheet metal or precision-machined component design for electronics packaging
Experience with production fleet support: telemetry analysis, root cause analysis, and defining mitigation strategies
Experience leading cross-functional technical projects spanning silicon, firmware, mechanical, and operations teams
Preferred
Knowledge of generic mechanical room infrastructure such as chillers, cooler units, and fan controls
Experience in mentoring, leading, or managing more junior engineers
Knowledge of SoC thermal/mechanical design methodology, power modeling and thermal analysis techniques
Tool familiarity: Ansys Icepak, FloTherm, Cadence Celsius, PTC Creo, and Solidworks
Proficiency in 3D CAD modeling and engineering drawings per ASME Y14.5 (GD&T) standards
Programming experience: Bash script, Shell script, Linux, Python, and Lua. Familiarity with working in a Linux environment
Knowledge of various types of technologies used for heatsink solutions, Thermal Interface Materials (TIMs), and liquid cooling technologies
Knowledge of hardware and software based thermal/power management control algorithms
Experience with liquid cooling system design: rack manifolds, cold plates, quick-disconnect fittings, CDU integration
Experience with mechanical design of high-density interconnect systems (cable cartridges, blind-mate connectors, backplane assemblies)
Experience with high-power-density ML/AI accelerator or HPC thermal design
Track record of driving cost optimization through vendor strategy, second-sourcing, or design-for-manufacturing improvements
Familiarity with manufacturing processes: injection molding, sheet metal fabrication, die-casting, and CNC machining — including trade-offs between methods
Experience with shock, vibration, and structural qualification testing per ISTA, ASTM, or equivalent standards