Senior Thermal Systems Engineer

Karman Industries

Karman Industries is a Torrance-based thermal technology company building the backbone for giga-scale AI infrastructure. Founded by a team from SpaceX, Rocket Lab, and GE, Karman is moving beyond legacy cooling with the launch of the HPU (Heat Processing Unit) —a new category of thermal architecture designed for the 100kW+ rack era.

The HPU shrinks the exterior mechanical yard by up to 80% while reducing peak energy consumption by 10%+. Unlike traditional systems, the Karman HPU provides zero-water (WUE 0) cooling that ensures high-TDP GPUs and HBM4 memory stay at optimal thermal setpoints without throttling.

Founded in 2024, we’re a fast-growing team of passionate professionals dedicated to making a tangible impact on the future of humanity. We design, build, and test real hardware, and we lead with ownership: you’ll own your work from concept to hardware and help shape how we scale. Our values are Ownership, Performance Excellence, Radical Transparency, and Customer-Centricity.

Join us in our mission to transform the industry and contribute to a more sustainable world.

Senior Thermal Systems Engineer

Karman Industries is seeking a highly motivated Senior Thermal Systems Engineer to join our team and contribute to the development and optimization of next-generation thermal management systems and turbomachinery solutions. This role functions as a technical subject matter expert, working in close collaboration with the Engineering and Product Development teams to define system requirements, develop innovative solutions, and advance the state-of-the-art in heat pump and other turbomachinery technologies.

The Thermal Systems Engineer is responsible for ideating and developing tailored, system-level solutions that align with both technical and performance objectives. This involves leveraging first-principles thermal engineering to conceptualize, size, model, and evaluate systems that meet demanding application requirements. A deep understanding of Karman's heat pump products, including their features, performance characteristics, and integration with heat exchangers, air coolers, and other thermal equipment, is essential. The engineer must be able to clearly articulate these elements to both technical and non-technical stakeholders and apply this knowledge effectively across diverse applications. Additionally, the role involves producing high-quality engineering documentation, managing multiple concurrent projects under tight deadlines, and collaborating with internal teams and external partners to ensure successful project execution.

Responsibilities:

Serve as a technical subject matter expert in thermal systems design and turbomachinery integration

Identify, ideate, and develop innovative thermal management and process integration concepts

Evaluate and optimize system-level solutions using engineering judgment and analytical tools

Utilize and contribute to Karman's proprietary software to assess system performance and feasibility

Develop technical specifications, performance analyses, and design documentation

Create conceptual design packages, including:

Process design documents such as PFDs (Process Flow Diagrams), preliminary equipment sizing, equipment lists, and system layouts

Cost estimates and project schedules for proposed designs

Collaborate with cross-functional teams on product development and system optimization initiatives

Required Qualifications:

Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering or a related discipline

At least 5 years of experience working in energy systems, thermal systems engineering, or process engineering

Proficiency in techno-economic modeling and system design tools

High familiarity with thermo-mechanical equipment such as pumps, heat exchangers, air coolers, refrigeration systems, turbomachinery, and associated thermal management systems used in industrial applications

Desired Skills and Experience:

Strong understanding of thermodynamics and heat transfer fundamentals

Experience with heat exchanger design, selection, and performance analysis

Experience with air-cooled heat exchanger systems and finned-tube technology

Experience with programming languages such as Python and MatLab-SimScape for engineering modeling or data analysis

Demonstrated ability to translate technical requirements into innovative engineered solutions

Excellent verbal and written communication skills, including the ability to produce professional-grade engineering documentation

Self-starter with strong project management skills; capable of handling multiple priorities and meeting tight deadlines in a fast-paced environment

Master's degree or higher in Mechanical, Process, or Energy Engineering

Compensation bands are determined by role, level, location, and alignment with market data. Individual level and base pay is determined on a case-by-case basis and may vary based on job-related skills, education, experience, technical capabilities and internal equity. In addition to base salary, for full-time hires, you may also be eligible for long-term incentives, in the form of stock options, and access to medical, vision & dental coverage as well as access to a 401(k) retirement plan.

Karman Industries is an Equal Opportunity Employer; employment with Karman Industries is governed on the basis of merit, competence and qualifications and will not be influenced in any manner by race, color, religion, gender, national origin/ethnicity, veteran status, disability status, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, mental or physical disability or any other legally protected status.

Direct applicants only — we are not working with outside recruiters or agencies for this role.