Job Description
The Role
Thermal System Architect
The Thermal System Architect’s primary responsibility is to provide technical leadership and guidance for the development and integration of the thermal system inclusive of propulsion, cabin and vehicle thermal management. In this role, you will be responsible for configuration of all thermal components, ensuring alignment with defined strategies, criteria compliance, and program specific desires. This candidate must be knowledgeable of all internal and external components of the thermal system and how they work together to deliver with quality the performance requirements set per the vehicle level technical specifications. They must drive a consistent design execution across all platforms while balancing subsystem level tradeoffs, studio and program “wins”.
The Candidate must hold self and others accountable for measurable high-quality, timely and cost-effective results, without compromising integrity, safety or quality. Is proficient at communication and leading an indirect global team maintaining connection via well-organized and efficient system review forums. This role requires a leader who can think creatively under pressure, make sound technical and business decisions with incomplete information, work calmly in a highly ambiguous and frequently changing program portfolio, and influence across organizations to protect vehicle-level thermal performance, customer experience, and program imperatives. Candidate must be comfortable providing technical presentations to internal, program and cross functional leadership.
What You’ll Do
Technical
- Champion cross-commodity integration (Thermal, HVAC, PTC, Aero, Structures, Propulsion, Controls, Energy, Calibration) to deliver cohesive vehicle-level thermal performance.
- Own and drive thermal system integration for active thermal domains (coolant and refrigerant loops, HVAC, Propulsion Cooling, airflow, thermal protection of sensitive components) through early architecture and development phases.
- Lead the team in creative problem solving for complex thermal performance conflicts. Proficient use of trade matrices (performance vs. cost, mass, energy, packaging), to enable proper leadership decision making especially under compressed timing.
- Guide use of analytical tools and methods (e.g., 0D/1D/3D analysis, simulation, virtual builds, sensitivity studies) to rapidly evaluate alternatives and recommend data-driven solutions.
- Ensure accurate and timely documentation of technical decisions, risks, and mitigations in GM systems (e.g., VTS tools, GDM, peer review records).
- Provide consistent support in CITs, SDITs, VCITs and VPITs. Emphasize technical direction within these forums.
- Lead program specific thermal system benchmarking, evaluating competitor designs, performance, and integration strategies, identifying opportunities to enhance performance, efficiency, integration and cost-effectiveness in our system.
- Ensure robust handoffs from AVD to execution teams with clear VTS, system mechanisms, thermal load cases, and lessons learned.
Leadership and Communication
- Lead cross-functional teams to resolve highly complex technical issues, leveraging advanced research, benchmarking and available knowledge base. Aligning with Chief Architect, ETL and tech specialists for consistent strategy and efficiency.
- Build relationships with design studio staff, integration team and program leadership, providing an open mind and a vision for what could be while keeping the customer in the center of design decisions
- Coordination and communication of engineering criteria and performance glidepaths with Integration team (VMA’s/CAM’s/SAM’s, studio,) to streamline the design process and support Studio design with minimal rework.
- Supporting and encouraging DREs to be bold in speaking up and defending their designs.
- Collaborate with VSEs, EGM’s, DRE’s, ETL, Virtual Analysis, LDE, Manufacturing and Program Team to ensure key program deliverables are met
- Effectively facilitate meetings and publish necessary documentation
Qualifications
Your Skills & Abilities (Required Qualifications)
- Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering, Thermal/Fluids Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or related technical field
- Minimum of 5+ years in thermal systems engineering for automotive or related industries, including significant exposure to:
- HVAC and cabin comfort
- Coolant and refrigerant loops
- Underhood/underbody airflow and thermal protection of sensitive components
- Active Aero
- Energy management and thermal interactions with propulsion systems
- Proven technical depth in thermal engineering, with the ability to review and challenge system architectures, performance analysis, and identify disruptive technology.
- Strong communication and influencing skills, including ability to simplify complex thermal topics for non-experts and gain alignment across organizations
- High level of interpersonal skills to work effectively with others
- DFSS Black Belt Certification
What Will Give You a Competitive Edge (Preferred Qualifications)
- Master’s degree in Mechanical Engineering
- Working knowledge of GM engineering processes and tools (e.g., VTS/SSTS/CTS/SOR, VDP, peer reviews, GDM, GMW standards) or equivalent experience in a structured OEM environment.
- Advanced vehicle development (AVD) experience, or other related exposure to the AVD processes and deliverables, and proven ability to work in the AVD environment
- Experience with global or multi-region programs, including coordinating with geographically distributed teams and suppliers.
- Working Knowledge of 1D thermodynamic and 3D CFD Analysis
- Knowledge of GM program timing system and VDP deliverables


GM does not provide immigration-related sponsorship for this role. Do not apply for this role if you will need GM immigration sponsorship now or in the future. This includes direct company sponsorship, entry of GM as the immigration employer of record on a government form, and any work authorization requiring a written submission or other immigration support from the company (e.g., H1-B, OPT, STEM OPT, CPT, TN, J-1, etc).

This role is categorized as hybrid. This means the selected candidate is expected to report to a specific location at least 3 times a week {or other frequency dictated by their manager}.

The selected candidate will be required to travel <25% for this role.

This job may be eligible for relocation benefits.


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