Thermal Manager, Engineering

Engineering Manager

Thermal & High-Power Systems — Multiphysics Simulation Group

Reports to: Predictive Engineering Head   |   Location: Bengaluru, India (Global Technical Center)   |   Function: Global Engineering Services (GES)

We are seeking a rare combination: a deep thermal engineering expert who also inspires, builds, and leads high-performing simulation teams to solve the most demanding thermal challenges in data center, high-power, and liquid cooling applications.

ABOUT MOLEX & GES

Molex, a Koch Industries company, is a global leader in electronic solutions with deep capabilities in data center infrastructure, high-power connectivity, automotive, and industrial applications. At the Global Technology Center (GTC) in Bengaluru, the Global Engineering Services (GES) function is driving a transformation toward Virtual Product Qualification (VPQ) — where simulation and predictive engineering replace reactive, prototype-heavy development cycles.

Data center and high-power connectivity is one of Molex's fastest-growing segments. As AI infrastructure, hyperscale computing, and next-generation liquid cooling architectures accelerate, GES must be capable of qualifying complex thermal and high-power systems faster, with greater confidence, and at lower cost. This role is at the center of that mission.

THE OPPORTUNITY

As Engineering Manager for Thermal & High-Power Systems, you will lead a specialized team of multiphysics simulation engineers working on the most technically demanding thermal and high-power challenges in Molex's product portfolio. Your team's work spans liquid-cooled cold plate development, high-density connector thermal characterization, data center airflow and cooling architecture, and power integrity for high-current applications.

This role demands both depth and breadth. You must be credible to a team of thermal simulation specialists — able to review CFD models, challenge assumptions, and advise on thermal physics — while also operating as a senior people manager who recruits, develops, and retains engineering talent, manages complex programs, and engages executive stakeholders with strategic clarity.

You will report directly to the Predictive Engineering Head and will be a visible technical leader across GES, business units, and external partners.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

Technical Leadership — Thermal & High-Power Engineering

• Provide authoritative technical direction for simulation programs in liquid cooling (cold plates, manifolds, microchannel, immersion), air cooling, and high-power connector thermal management.
• Lead complex CFD/thermal simulation programs for data center product lines including OSFP, QSFP, co-packaged optics, power connectors, and backplane systems.
• Review and approve thermal simulation methodologies, boundary conditions, mesh strategies, and results interpretation; ensure physics fidelity and engineering judgment are embedded in all deliverables.
• Guide development of reduced-order models, surrogate models, and thermal correlations for integration into Digital Twin programs.
• Define and enforce simulation standards for thermal resistance, junction temperature, pressure drop, and flow uniformity characterization.
• Stay current with emerging thermal management technologies (two-phase cooling, direct liquid cooling, phase change materials) and inject relevant insights into product development.

People Leadership & Talent Development

• Lead and develop a team of 12–18 multiphysics simulation engineers with expertise spanning thermal/CFD, structural, SI, and EMC disciplines, with a strong center of gravity in thermal and high-power applications.
• Set clear performance expectations and provide coaching grounded in contribution, not tenure. Develop high performers into technical leads and future engineering managers.
• Build a team culture where thermal physics mastery is celebrated, results are questioned constructively, and learning from simulation errors is standard practice.
• Partner with HR and senior leadership to attract top thermal engineering talent from academia, semiconductor companies, and HPC/data center organizations.

Program & Delivery Management

• Own program delivery for high-priority thermal and high-power simulation engagements, including liquid-cooled data center product qualifications and new product introduction (NPI) thermal analysis programs.
• Manage multi-quarter, multi-discipline programs with clear milestones, risk registers, and stakeholder communication cadences.
• Negotiate scope and timelines with product engineering and business unit leaders; balance simulation rigor with program velocity.
• Define and track quality gates for simulation deliverables: CFD validation against test data, correlation with physical prototypes, and confidence bounds on thermal predictions.

Strategic Engagement & Customer Value

• Serve as the technical face of GES for thermal and high-power simulation to Molex's data center, high-power, and automotive business units.
• Engage proactively with product, systems, and test engineering teams to identify simulation opportunities before they become qualification bottlenecks.
• Represent Molex GES thermal capabilities in industry forums, customer technical reviews, and supplier qualification sessions.
• Quantify and communicate the value of simulation: prototype elimination, thermal risk mitigation, qualification cycle compression, and NPI cost reduction.

QUALIFICATIONS

Required

• Master's or PhD in Mechanical Engineering, Thermal Sciences, Heat Transfer, or a closely related field — with a thesis or substantial research focus in thermal or fluid dynamics.
• 10+ years of engineering experience with a minimum of 4 years leading engineering teams in a formal management or senior technical leadership role.
• Deep hands-on expertise in thermal simulation: CFD tools (Ansys Fluent/CFX, Simcenter STAR-CCM+, or equivalent), thermal resistance modeling, and conjugate heat transfer.
• Demonstrated experience with high-power electronic systems: liquid cooling, cold plates, heat exchangers, TIM characterization, or data center cooling architectures.
• Proven track record managing complex, cross-functional simulation programs with senior stakeholder engagement.
• Strong technical communication skills: ability to translate complex thermal physics into business-relevant insights for non-specialist audiences.

Preferred

• Experience with data center product lines: OSFP, QSFP, co-packaged optics, power distribution modules, or server/rack-level thermal management.
• Familiarity with liquid cooling standards (ASHRAE, OCP, JEDEC) and industry benchmarks for high-power thermal management.
• Experience with thermal Digital Twins, reduced-order thermal models, or AI/ML-based surrogate models for thermal prediction.
• MBA or equivalent management education is an advantage.
• Knowledge of Koch Industries' PBM philosophy or equivalent principled operating frameworks.

WHAT MAKES YOU STAND OUT

Thermal engineering expertise is a prerequisite — but what will distinguish the right person goes beyond technical credentials. We are looking for a principled leader who brings rigorous thinking and genuine integrity to every interaction: with their team, their stakeholders, and the engineering problems they confront.

The ideal candidate demonstrates:

• Scientific integrity: you will not approve a simulation result you do not believe, even under schedule pressure. You flag uncertainty, communicate confidence levels, and build trust through honesty.
• Entrepreneurial ownership: you see unmet simulation needs as opportunities, not scope creep. You proactively build capabilities that will matter three years from now.
• Technical humility: you hold strong opinions on thermal physics but remain genuinely open to learning from your team, your customers, and your failures.
• A multiplier mindset: you measure your success by how much better the engineers around you become — not by how much you personally produce.
• Resilience and composure under pressure: data center thermal problems are often discovered late and resolved urgently. You stay calm, structured, and effective.

KOCH PRINCIPLE-BASED MANAGEMENT (PBM®)

Molex operates under Koch's PBM framework, which holds that principled behavior and genuine virtue create more sustainable value than talent alone. This role offers a rare opportunity to lead in a culture where contribution is unlimited, growth is self-directed, and leaders with strong principles rise faster than those with strong credentials alone.

• Virtue & Talents: Integrity, intellectual honesty, and genuine care for your team are baseline expectations — not aspirational ideals.
• Principled Entrepreneurship: Identify thermal simulation opportunities that don't yet exist in the roadmap. Take initiative. Create value that wasn't asked for.
• Knowledge Creation: Simulation is only as good as the learning it generates. We reward leaders who institutionalize knowledge and challenge established practices.
• Self-Actualization: For the right leader, this role offers an almost unlimited scope to grow — technically, managerially, and strategically — within a global engineering organization.

ABOUT THE DOMAIN

The Thermal & High-Power Systems team is at the frontier of electronic thermal management. Key areas of work include:

• Liquid-Cooled Cold Plate Systems: CFD-based design and qualification of 1×4, 1×8, and 2×8 cold plate configurations; pressure drop and thermal resistance characterization; coolant flow optimization.
• Data Center Connectivity Thermal Management: thermal qualification of OSFP and high-density connector assemblies operating at 800G and beyond; cage-level and system-level airflow modeling.
• High-Power Connector Applications: electro-thermal simulation of power connectors for EV charging, industrial power distribution, and HPC power delivery networks.
• Digital Twins & Surrogate Models: reduced-order thermal models for real-time temperature prediction; Physics-Informed Neural Networks (PINNs) for thermal field estimation.
• Predictive Qualification: simulation-led qualification strategies that reduce physical prototype requirements and accelerate product launch timelines.

Molex is an equal opportunity employer. We believe diverse perspectives make us stronger.