Thermal & CFD Simulation Engineer (Remote Freelance)

About the role

A remote freelance project to support thermal simulation and cooling analysis for PCB assemblies and electronic systems. You will build and validate simulation workflows that evaluate temperature distribution, heat dissipation and cooling performance. The expected engagement is about 13 weeks, with availability of 40 hours per week and a requirement to start soon.

Key responsibilities

• Perform thermal analysis of PCB assemblies, components and enclosures.
• Build CFD models to evaluate airflow, thermal hotspots and cooling effectiveness.
• Use OpenFOAM for simulation and Gmsh or equivalent tools for geometry preparation and meshing.
• Define boundary conditions, material properties, power losses and simulation parameters.
• Develop Python automation and post-processing workflows.
• Check mesh independence, convergence and numerical stability, and compare results against analytical calculations or reference data.
• Document modelling assumptions, limitations and verification evidence.

Required profile

• Practical experience in CFD and thermal simulation, supported by strong heat transfer, thermodynamics and fluid mechanics fundamentals.
• Knowledge of conduction, natural and forced convection, radiation, thermal boundary conditions and heat-source modelling.
• Preferred: a bachelor's or master's degree in Mechanical, Thermal, Aerospace or a related engineering field.
• Preferred: 5+ years of relevant CFD, thermal engineering or electronics-cooling experience.
• Preferred: experience with PCB thermal analysis, power electronics, semiconductor cooling or electronic enclosures.

Required skills

• OpenFOAM or equivalent CFD tools
• Gmsh or other mesh-generation tools
• Python scripting for automation and post-processing
• Ability to assess simulation accuracy and interpret results

The selection process includes an AI interview and an interview with the delivery team. Compensation is $16 USD per hour.