Principal Thermal Mechanical Engineer

At Cadence, we hire and develop leaders and innovators who want to make an impact on the world of technology.

Cadence is the leader in hardware emulation-acceleration technologies and products. Our emulation-acceleration system platform is the most advanced industry-leading configurable scalable system, generation after generation, used in labs and datacenters.

Looking for a hands-on Principal Thermal Mechanical Engineer who wants to expand their scope and grow their career. This position is located in our San Jose headquarter office, reports to the Mechanical Engineering Director, and works in a talented organization.

This position requires to do thermal analysis, design, and testing; mechanical component and platform enclosure design, thermal and mechanical component specifications, board layout design, mechanical drawings, product documentation, supplier/manufacturer interface, quality inspection, and some hand-on works.

Key responsibilities

• Perform component and system thermal analysis.
• Design thermal solutions for air-cooled and liquid-cooled products.
• Perform thermal testing and provide thermal assessment/recommendations.
• Specify thermal and mechanical components.
• Design mechanical components and platform enclosures.
• Perform circuit board layouts and placement of electronic components on circuit boards.
• Draft 2D drawings of circuit board layouts, mechanical components, and system assemblies
• Structure BOMs and generate ECRs to release products to PDM.
• Work with suppliers/manufacturers to address DFM feedback.
• Perform inspection of materials and resolve quality issues.
• Perform some hand-on works (prototype build, mechanical assembling, cable routing...)

Qualifications

• BS or degree in mechanical engineering with a minimum of 10 years of experience OR MS with a minimum of 7 years of experience OR PhD with a minimum of 5 years of experience
• Experienced in thermal and mechanical design of equipment designed to operate in data centers.
• Experienced with thermal analysis and thermal simulation tools (CFD)
• Experienced with air and liquid cooling design, and thermal testing.
• Experienced designing circuit board layouts, sheet metal parts and mechanical components
• Proficient in using mechanical CAD software. Experienced with Creo Elements/Direct is a plus.
• Familiar with BOM structuring and ECO processes. PTC Arena (PDM) experience is a plus.
• Experienced with GD&T is a plus.
• Experienced using hand tools and operating machining equipment is a plus.
• Good cross-functional communications. Strong work ethic. Great team-work attitude.

The annual salary range for California is $154,000 to $286,000. You may also be eligible to receive incentive compensation: bonus, equity, and benefits. Sales positions generally offer a competitive On Target Earnings (OTE) incentive compensation structure. Please note that the salary range is a guideline and compensation may vary based on factors such as qualifications, skill level, competencies and work location. Our benefits programs include: paid vacation and paid holidays, 401(k) plan with employer match, employee stock purchase plan, a variety of medical, dental and vision plan options, and more.

We're doing work that matters. Help us solve what others can't.

Client-provided location(s): San Jose, CA

Job ID: Cadence-R48164

Employment Type: FULL_TIME

Posted: 2025-09-26T18:38:09