Company Overview:
We are a high-growth startup building next-generation high‑performance switching systems for hyperscale and AI data centers. Our platforms power large-scale cloud infrastructure, GPU clusters, and high-density compute environments where performance, reliability, and thermal efficiency are critical to customer operations.
Position Summary:
The Liquid Cooling Process Engineer owns the manufacturing process definition, validation, and scaling of liquid-cooled network products in conjunction with NH engineering. This role bridges thermal design, mechanical design, manufacturing engineering, reliability, and supply chain to ensure liquid-cooling solutions—cold plates, manifolds, hoses, quick-disconnects, and TIMs—are repeatable, leak-free, thermally efficient, and production-scalable.
The role is critical to enabling >50–100 kW per rack architectures, supporting next-generation AI fabrics and ultra-high-bandwidth network switches without compromising reliability or serviceability.
Key Responsibilities:
Process Definition & Development
- Define end-to-end manufacturing processes in close collaboration with engineering for:
- Direct-to-chip cold plates
- Manifolds and distribution plates
- Tubing, hoses, and quick-disconnects (QDs)
- TIM application (grease, PCM, gap fillers)
- Develop process flow diagrams, control plans, and work instructions
- Ensure processes are DFM/DFA/DFS compliant and serviceable in field environments
NPI Execution (EVT → DVT → PVT → MP)
- Enable fast prototyping and rapid iterative development cycles
- Drive development of DFMEA (Design Failure Mode Effects and Analysis) with engineering
- Support thermal hardware from early EVT through HVM ramp
- Identify and mitigate process risks:
- Leak paths
- Torque variation
- Flatness and coplanarity
- Particulate contamination
- Lead process validation builds and golden line definition
- Partner with ODMs to ensure manufacturability at scale
Assembly, Tooling & Automation
- Specify and qualify:
- Torque tools and sequencing strategies
- Dispensing systems for TIMs and sealants
- Pressure and leak-test equipment (air, helium, liquid)
- Drive semi-automated and automated solutions for:
- Cold-plate installation
- Hose routing and retention
- QD (Quick Disconnect) engagement verification
- Define poka-yoke mechanisms to prevent mis-builds
Quality, Reliability & Validation
- Own PFMEA (Process Failure Mode Effects and Analysis) and control plans for liquid-cooling processes
- Define acceptance criteria for:
- Leak rate
- Pressure decay
- Flow resistance
- Thermal performance
- Support HALT/HASS, thermal cycling, vibration, and shock testing
- Lead root-cause analysis for field and factory issues (leaks, clogging, corrosion)
Data, Monitoring & Continuous Improvement
- Establish process KPIs:
- Leak ppm
- Torque Cp/Cpk
- TIM thickness uniformity
- Yield and rework rates
- Integrate test data into MES and quality dashboards
- Drive yield improvement and cost reduction through data-driven analysis
Supplier & Partner Management
- Work closely with:
- Cold-plate suppliers
- Hose and QD vendors
- TIM and sealant suppliers
- ODM/OEM manufacturing teams
- Qualify suppliers and define incoming quality requirements
- Support dual-sourcing and cost-down initiatives
Required Qualifications:
- Master's degree in Mechanical Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, or related field
- 7+ years experience in manufacturing and process engineering with 2+ years of liquid cooling experience
- Hands-on experience with thermal or fluid-handling hardware
- Strong understanding of:
- Mechanical tolerances and torque control
- Assembly processes and tooling
- Manufacturing quality systems
- Thermodynamics
- Heat transfer
- Experience with liquid-cooled servers, network switches, or HPC systems
- Experience working in or with startups
Preferred Qualifications:
- Familiarity with:
- Cold-plate design and materials (Cu, Al, Ni plating)
- TIM characterization and dispensing
- Leak detection methods (helium mass spec, pressure decay)
- Experience working with hyperscalers or large ODMs
- Knowledge of data-center cooling architectures (DLC, CDU, facility interfaces)
Key Competencies:
- Strong hands-on manufacturing mindset
- Ability to translate thermal design into robust production processes
- Structured problem-solving and root-cause analysis
- Cross-functional communication and influence
- Comfortable operating in fast-paced NPI and ramp environments
Success Metrics:
- Leak rate at factory and in field
- Thermal performance consistency
- First-pass yield through PVT and MP
- NPI schedule adherence
- Cost and cycle-time targets achieved
- Use of automation to reduce variability and increase throughput + yield
