Senior Thermal Solutions Architect – Client Platforms at Intel

Job Details:

Job Description:

Do Something Wonderful.

The world is transforming—and so is Intel. As part of Intel’s Silicon & Platform Engineering (SPE) organization, the Client OEM Optimization team partners closely with leading original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) to deliver high‑performance, energy‑efficient computing platforms used by millions of people worldwide.

Intel is seeking a Senior Thermal Solutions Architect – Client Platforms to lead end‑to‑end thermal solution co‑engineering with OEM customers across desktop and notebook platforms. In this role, you will influence system‑level thermal architectures that enable performance scaling, reliability, and product differentiation across Intel’s client portfolio.

The Role and Impact

As a Senior Thermal Solutions Architect – Client Platforms in Intel’s Client Customer Engineering organization, you will help define and enable the next generation of personal computing platforms used by millions of people worldwide. Your work will directly shape how future consumer and commercial PCs are designed impacting performance, acoustics, reliability, and user experience at massive scale.

This is a high‑visibility, high‑impact role where you will work at the intersection of silicon capability, system design, and real‑world constraints, partnering closely with leading OEMs and internal Intel teams. You will influence platform decisions from the earliest architectural concepts through high‑volume manufacturing (HVM), ensuring Intel delivers efficient, scalable, and innovative thermal solutions across a wide range of products.

You will have a unique opportunity to lead the industry by defining thermal architectures that enable new levels of performance and efficiency helping set the standard for the personal computing industry.

What You’ll Do

You will own and drive thermal architecture end‑to‑end, translating advanced silicon capabilities into practical, production‑ready system solutions:

• Lead thermal architecture definition and execution across the full product lifecycle from early concept exploration through production and HVM
• Co‑design innovative cooling solutions with top OEM partners, directly influencing high‑volume consumer and commercial PC products
• Define power and temperature constraints based on real system cooling capabilities, and deliver clear guidance to product, platform, and manufacturing teams with a portfolio of thermal solutions
• Perform thermal analysis, modeling, and validation for air‑ and liquid‑cooled systems across notebooks, desktops, and emerging form factors
• Apply deep expertise in heat transfer fundamentals conduction, convection (active and passive), and radiation to guide design tradeoffs for high density form factors
• Characterize and validate cooling technologies, including heat sinks, fans, heat pipes, vapor chambers, cold plates, and TIMs
• Develop and correlate multi‑scale thermal models spanning silicon, package, PCB, and full system levels
• Tune system‑level thermal management, integrating mechanical design, firmware‑based thermal policies, and platform controls
• Deliver technical leadership and design reviews in collaboration with pre‑silicon, post‑silicon, and validation teams
• Partner closely with power, mechanical, electrical, reliability, and manufacturing teams to solve complex, cross‑disciplinary challenges
• Drive continuous innovation through experimentation, prototyping, research, and data‑driven analysis Why This Role Is Different
• Real industry impact: Your work ships in millions of consumer and commercial PCs worldwide
• End‑to‑end ownership: Influence decisions from early architecture to production not just point‑solution analysis
• Industry leadership: Help define the thermal standards that enable future PC performance and form factors
• OEM partnership: Work directly with leading PC manufacturers to co‑engineer solutions that ship at scale
• Technical depth + system thinking: Operate across silicon, firmware, mechanics, and manufacturing in one role with the goal of productization via OEM/ODM

Behavioral traits that we are looking for:

• Demonstrates strong analytical and problem‑solving skills applied to complex thermal engineering challenges
• Communicates clearly and effectively with cross‑functional teams, customers, and external partners
• Works effectively in ambiguous problem spaces and balances technical tradeoffs using sound engineering judgment
• Demonstrates ownership and accountability for technical outcomes and deliverables
• Collaborates productively across organizational boundaries and multi‑site teams
• Maintains a strong focus on design quality, documentation, and technical rigor

Qualifications:

You must possess the below minimum qualifications to be initially considered for this position. Preferred qualifications are in addition to the minimum requirements and are considered a plus factor in identifying top candidates.

Note: For information on Intel’s immigration sponsorship guidelines, please see

Intel U.S. Immigration Sponsorship Information

Minimum Qualifications and Experience:

• Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering or a STEM-related field, with 7+ years of experience solving thermal and mechanical challenges in the electronics industry, or a Master's degree in the same fields with 5+ years of relevant experience
• 5+ years of hands on experience in Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) tools, such as Ice Pak, FloTHERM, or ANSYS Fluent
• 5+ years of technical expertise in thermal components, including cold plates, heat sinks, fans, heat pipes, vapor chambers, and TIMs

Preferred Qualifications and Experience:

• Advanced experience designing and optimizing thermal solutions for client systems across multiple form factors
• Experience with statistical analysis methods and statistical software tools
• Experience with scripting or automation related to thermal tools or workflows
• Ability to communicate complex technical concepts effectively to both technical and non‑technical audiences

Job Type:

Experienced Hire

Shift:

Shift 1 (United States of America)

Primary Location:

US, Oregon, Hillsboro

Additional Locations:

US, California, Folsom

Business group:

Silicon and Platform Engineering Group (SPE): Deliver breakthrough silicon and platform solutions that deliver industry-leading products today while also defining the next generation of computing experiences.

Posting Statement:

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, religious creed, sex, national origin, ancestry, age, physical or mental disability, medical condition, genetic information, military and veteran status, marital status, pregnancy, gender, gender expression, gender identity, sexual orientation, or any other characteristic protected by local law, regulation, or ordinance.

Position of Trust

N/A

Benefits

We offer a total compensation package that ranks among the best in the industry. It consists of competitive pay, stock bonuses, and benefit programs which include health, retirement, and vacation. Find out more about the benefits of working at Intel.

Annual Salary Range for jobs which could be performed in the US: $164,470.00-269,100.00 USD

The range displayed on this job posting reflects the minimum and maximum target compensation for the position across all US locations. Within the range, individual pay is determined by work location and additional factors, including job-related skills, experience, and relevant education or training. Your recruiter can share more about the specific compensation range for your preferred location during the hiring process.

Work Model for this Role

This role will require an on-site presence. Job posting details (such as work model, location or time type) are subject to change.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: Intel is committed to Responsible Business Alliance (RBA) compliance and ethical hiring practices. We do not charge any fees during our hiring process. Candidates should never be required to pay recruitment fees, medical examination fees, or any other charges as a condition of employment. If you are asked to pay any fees during our hiring process, please report this immediately to your recruiter.