ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit), ASIC Design, Alternative Energy, Artificial Intelligence (AI), Computer Systems, Cross-Functional, Design Services, Electrical Engineering, Electricity, Energy Efficiency, GPU (Graphics Processing Unit), HVAC, Hardware Design, Heat Transfer, Input/Output, Leadership, Mechanical Engineering, Network Operations Center, Optical Transceivers, Optics, Performance Tuning/Optimization, Photonics, Physics, Power Management, Problem Solving Skills, Product Planning, Product Support, Server Architecture, Signal Integrity, System Architecture, Systems Administration/Management, Thermal Analysis, Thermal Management, Thermodynamics, Vendor/Supplier Selection
LOCATION
IL
POSTED
30+ days ago
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Description
Ready to revolutionize AI datacenter thermal control solutions and deployments? Phononic is the place for you. We are seeking a results-oriented individual to join our Infrastructure Solutions organization to deliver industry leading innovative products in support of revolutionizing cooling solutions for AI datacenters.
We are seeking a highly experienced Platform Architect to lead the design and optimization of next-generation AI infrastructure platforms, with a core focus on thermal management and cooling technologies for optical interconnects, co-packaged optics (CPO), and GPU-based servers.
In this role, you will drive system-level innovation to address one of the most critical challenges in modern AI systems: managing heat and power density while delivering extreme bandwidth and compute performance. You will work at the intersection of thermodynamics, photonics, silicon, and server architecture, enabling scalable, efficient, and reliable AI deployments.
Thermal Architecture & System Design
Define end-to-end thermal architecture strategies for GPU servers, optical interconnects, and CPO-based systems
Develop system-level approaches to balance performance, heat dissipation, reliability, and energy efficiency
Design and optimize solutions for:
High-power GPUs and accelerators
Dense optical I/O (pluggable and co-packaged optics)
Rack- and cluster-level thermal constraints
Cooling Technology Innovation
Optimize cooling strategies for high-density AI workloads and optical bandwidth scaling
Analyze and improve thermal resistance, junction temperatures, and cooling efficiency
Lead design and evaluation of advanced cooling approaches, including:
Air cooling (high-performance heatsinks, airflow optimization)
Liquid cooling (direct-to-chip, cold plates)
Immersion cooling and emerging techniques
Optical & CPO Thermal Integration
Architect thermal solutions for:
High-speed optical transceivers (400G/800G/1.6T+)
Co-packaged optics (CPO) integrated with switch or GPU ASICs
Address key challenges such as:
Heat dissipation in tightly integrated photonics + silicon environments
Thermal impact on optical performance and signal integrity
Reliability and lifetime of photonic components under thermal stress
Collaborate with silicon photonics teams to co-design thermal-aware optical packaging architectures
GPU Server & Rack-Level Thermal Design
Design GPU server platforms optimized for thermal efficiency, including:
Multi-GPU configurations and interconnect density
Power delivery and cooling integration
Airflow and liquid loop design
Drive innovations in rack-level and data center-level cooling, including:
High-density rack (>50-100kW) thermal strategies
Integration with facility cooling systems
Optimization for power usage effectiveness (PUE)
Interconnect & System Optimization
Optimize system performance under thermal constraints, including thermal throttling behavior and workload efficiency
Ensure thermal considerations are integrated into interconnect design decisions, including:
Optical vs. electrical tradeoffs
Placement of optics (pluggable vs. co-packaged)
Cross-Functional Leadership
Drive alignment between thermal design, system architecture, and product roadmap
Influence vendor selection across cooling systems, optics, and server platforms
Partner with teams across:
Silicon and ASIC design
Photonics engineering
Mechanical and thermal engineering
Data center infrastructure
Technology Strategy & Innovation
Contribute to long-term innovation in sustainable and energy-efficient AI infrastructure
Stay ahead of trends in:
Thermal management for AI infrastructure
Co-packaged optics and optical I/O scaling
High-density GPU clusters and exascale AI systems
Requirements
Required
Bachelor's or Master's degree in Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Physics, or related field
8-12+ years of experience in system architecture, thermal engineering, or hardware platform design
Deep expertise in:
Thermal management and cooling technologies for high-performance systems
GPU servers, AI/HPC infrastructure, or data center platforms
Optical interconnects and high-speed systems (1.6T+)
Strong understanding of:
Heat transfer (conduction, convection, liquid cooling systems)
Power density and thermal constraints in modern compute systems
Tradeoffs across performance, cooling, cost, and reliability
Preferred
Experience working with hyperscalers or large-scale AI deployments
Experience with co-packaged optics (CPO) and silicon photonics thermal challenges
Hands-on design experience with:
Liquid cooling systems and cold plate design
High-density rack and cluster cooling
Knowledge of:
Optical module thermal constraints and reliability
Data center infrastructure (HVAC, liquid loops, facility integration)
Key Skills
Deep expertise in thermal systems and heat management
System-level thinking across compute, optics, and cooling
Ability to integrate thermal constraints into architecture decisions