Thermal / Mechanical Engineer – Integrated Rack Power Platform

Thermal / Mechanical Engineer – Integrated Rack Power Platform

Location: San Jose, CA (On-site)

Reports To: Head of Engineering, Data Center Power Platform

About the Role

We are building an integrated PSU + BBU rack power shelf that combines power conversion and solid-state battery backup into a single high-density platform for hyperscale AI data centers.

This shelf must conform to OCP Open Rack / ORv3 mechanical specifications, manage two thermally incompatible subsystems within a shared enclosure, and pass hyperscaler qualification—where mechanical and thermal design are just as critical as electrical performance.

As the Thermal / Mechanical Engineer, you will own the complete physical design of the product. You will translate circuit boards and battery packs into a manufacturable shelf that fits industry-standard racks, survives demanding data center environments, and can be serviced by a technician in seconds.

What You'll Do

Design the complete mechanical enclosure (1OU or 2OU shelf) using SolidWorks or Creo, including:

Sheet metal chassis

Busbar routing

Internal structural supports

External connector interfaces

Solve the core thermal challenge of integrating

High-power semiconductors and magnetics operating at 100–125°C junction temperatures

Solid-state battery cells requiring sub-45–60°C operating temperatures

Directed airflow paths

Thermal isolation zones

Heat spreaders

Fan selection

Perform CFD thermal simulations using

Ansys Icepak

FloTHERM

6SigmaET

Optimize airflow under worst-case operating conditions including

Full electrical load

35–40°C inlet air (ASHRAE A1/A2)

Fan degradation scenarios

Design to OCP ORv3 mechanical specifications, including

Shelf width and depth

Connector positioning

Front-to-back airflow

Ejector handle placement

Guide rail interfaces

Weight-per-OU limitations

Develop hot-swap sled mechanisms featuring

Proper insertion/extraction force curves

Blind-mate power connector alignment

Guide rail compliance

Tool-less serviceability

Collaborate with Battery Systems Engineering on

Cell pack mounting

Compression systems

Thermal interface materials

Mechanical isolation within the enclosure

Perform vibration and shock analysis for

ISTA 3-Series shipping requirements

GR-63-CORE (Bellcore Zone 4) seismic requirements

Lead Design for Manufacturing (DFM) activities with contract manufacturers, including:

Tolerances

Tooling

Bend radii

Spot welding

PEM fastener insertion

Assembly sequence optimization

Support UL 62368-1 mechanical and flammability requirements including

Material selection (94V-0)

Component spacing

Enclosure integrity

Interface directly with hyperscaler mechanical integration teams throughout product qualification.

What You Bring

Required Qualifications

8+ years designing thermal-mechanical enclosures for

Rack-mounted power systems

Compute platforms

Telecom equipment

Demonstrated expertise with CFD thermal simulation tools including

Ansys Icepak

FloTHERM

6SigmaET

Proficiency with SolidWorks or Creo for detailed mechanical design.

Extensive sheet metal design experience for high-volume manufacturing, including:

Bend radii

Punching and stamping

Spot welding

Tolerance stack-up analysis

Proven track record taking products through contract manufacturing and thermal validation in production or hyperscale data center environments.

Strong understanding of airflow management in forced-convection rack systems.

Preferred Qualifications

Direct experience with OCP Open Rack / ORv3 mechanical specifications.

Experience with battery pack thermal management in

Electric vehicles

Stationary energy storage

Telecom backup systems

Exposure to liquid cooling or cold plate design for next-generation rack power shelves.

Experience integrating blind-mate high-power connectors from manufacturers such as:

Amphenol

TE Connectivity

Molex

Familiarity with

UL 62368-1 mechanical/flammability requirements

UL 1973 battery enclosure requirements

Knowledge of IP67 and NEMA ratings for edge or outdoor deployment variants.

Experience with vibration and shock testing to

ISTA 3-Series

GR-63-CORE

Why This Role Matters

Hyperscalers do not negotiate on rack geometry. If the shelf does not fit, does not cool effectively, or cannot be serviced in seconds, it will never be evaluated—regardless of how strong the electrical design is.

You will serve as the company's primary mechanical interface with hyperscaler qualification teams. Your understanding of both published and practical mechanical integration requirements can shorten qualification timelines by months.

In a product where high-power electronics and solid-state battery cells share the same enclosure, you are the engineer responsible for making that coexistence physically possible.