Thermal Engineer

Product Creation and Industrialization (PC&I) brings together Ford’s vehicle, electric, digital and design teams with our global manufacturing system. Working as one end-to-end organization, we turn ideas into high-quality vehicles, software and experiences across gas, hybrid and electric, designed around what customers need.

• Support thermal-system modeling and development for battery, drive unit, and powertrain products.
• Build and use reduced-order thermal/fluid models to support system and component decisions.
• Assist with thermal component and subsystem feasibility studies.
• Support prototype builds, test setup, instrumentation, and data acquisition.
• Analyze test data and compare measured performance against model predictions.
• Develop and support validation plans, test methods, and technical summaries.
• Document model assumptions, specifications, design updates, test results, and validation findings.
• Work with test engineers and subject matter experts to understand correlation between predicted and measured results.
• Collaborate with controls, electrical, software, manufacturing, validation, and supplier teams to resolve technical issues.
• Support continuous improvement of thermal models, tools, workflows, and development methodologies.
• Help identify opportunities to improve thermal performance, system efficiency, manufacturability, cost, and reliability.

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Mechanical Engineering, Chemical Engineering, or a related technical field or equivalent combination of relevant education and experience.
• Strong fundamentals in heat transfer, thermodynamics, and fluid mechanics.
• Coursework, internship, research, or project experience with thermal systems.
• MATLAB and/or Python experience for data analysis, modeling, or automation.
• Familiarity with thermal components such as heat exchangers, compressors, pumps, fans, cold plates, coolant loops, or refrigerant systems.
• Ability to analyze data, document results, and communicate findings clearly.
• Strong teamwork, communication, self-motivation, and ability to manage multiple tasks.
• A first-principles approach to engineering problem solving.
• Curiosity and eagerness to work collaboratively in a fast-paced, cross-functional EV development environment.

• Experience with physics-based 1D modeling or reduced-order thermal/fluid models.
• Exposure to CFD/FEA tools such as STAR-CCM+, ANSYS, COMSOL, or similar.
• CAD experience; CATIA or Solid Works preferred.
• Experience with prototype builds, instrumentation, data acquisition, and validation testing.
• Familiarity with battery thermal systems, energy storage, EVs, HVAC, or powertrain thermal management.
• Familiarity with design validation plans, DFMEA, design-for-manufacturing, or technical design documentation.
• Experience analyzing experimental data from lab, supplier, vehicle, or field-representative testing.
• Hands-on experience in a lab, test cell, prototype shop, Formula SAE, Baja SAE, solar car, robotics, battery research, or similar engineering environment.

You may not check every box, or your experience may look a little different from what we’ve outlined, but if you think you can bring value to Ford Motor Company, we encourage you to apply!

As an established global company, we offer the benefit of choice. You can choose what your Ford future will look like: will your story span the globe, or keep you close to home? Will your career be a deep dive into what you love, or a series of new teams and new skills? Will you be a leader, a change maker, a technical expert, a culture builder…or all of the above?

No matter what you choose, we offer a work life that works for you, including:

• Immediate medical, dental, vision and prescription drug coverage
• Flexible family…