Hardware Thermal Simulation Engineering Intern

About the role

This 8‑month internship on the Hardware Thermal & Structural team at UIUC Research Park focuses on cooling and packaging of electronics for next‑generation electric vehicles. You will work on real projects, paired with an experienced engineer, to see how thermal simulation influences hardware design decisions.

Key responsibilities

• Build and run CFD and conduction thermal simulations to evaluate cooling performance of vehicle electronic hardware.
• Support development of electronics cooling concepts such as heat sinks, thermal interface materials, and enclosure layouts.
• Explore design trade‑offs to reduce mass, cost, and material usage while meeting thermal targets.
• Automate repetitive analysis and post‑processing tasks using scripting and AI tools.

Required profile

• Currently pursuing a BSc, MSc or PhD in Mechanical, Thermal, Aerospace Engineering or a related field.
• Coursework or project experience in heat transfer and fluid mechanics.
• Must be located in Champaign, IL and able to work onsite.

Required skills

• Experience with CFD/thermal simulation tools (Flotherm, Ansys Icepak, Star‑CCM+, Fluent or similar).
• Scripting ability (e.g., Python) to automate analysis and post‑processing.
• Familiarity with AI tools such as Claude or Gemini for script generation and debugging.
• Knowledge of electronics cooling components like heat sinks, fans, thermal interface materials, and IC package behavior.
• Lab measurement techniques (thermocouples, IR imaging, flow measurement) are a plus.

What we offer

• Competitive base salary and eligibility for an annual performance bonus.
• Potential equity participation through Restricted Stock Units (RSUs).
• Comprehensive benefits package covering health, retirement, time off and family planning programs.