Thermal Systems Fellow

What you will do Johnson Controls’ Data Center Product Architecture team is seeking a Data Center Thermal Systems Fellow for the Advanced Technology & Innovation group. You will be an acknowledged global technical and business leader for thermal technology at Johnson Controls. This role sets technical direction for thermal technology strategy across the organization, leads cross-divisional thermal platform alignment, and develops technical strategies for reconciling and assimilating thermal system and product platforms across divisions, the corporation, and with external partners. The Fellow operates with wide latitude for un-reviewed decisions and serves as a corporate technical advisor for strategic planning. This position is based onsite, minimum 3 days per week, at our Advanced Technology and Innovation Center located in New Freedom, PA. Candidates must be commuting distance to the facility or able to relocate.How you will do it Drive long-range planning of enterprise thermal system strategies globally; lead system-level planning on corporate collaborative initiativesDefine corporate thermal integration strategy; lead cross-divisional thermal platform alignmentDefine corporate thermal system architecture strategy; develop technical strategies for platform reconciliation across divisions and partnersSet technical direction for thermal technology across the organization with wide latitude for decision-makingFocus on state of the industry and strategic business objectives; industry thought leaderTechnical advisor for corporate strategic planning; mentor Sr Staff and Lead Staff Engineers globallyWhat you will needRequired Master’s degree required preferably in Mechanical Engineering18+ years experience recognized across the industryCorporate thermal technology expert with advanced understanding of thermal technology interactions across product platforms and market applicationsAcknowledged global technical/business leader with corporate influence on inter-divisional initiativesData center cooling architecture industry knowledge and experience(direct liquid cooling, rear-door heat exchangers, CDUs)Enterprise thermal systems expertExpert in multiple technical domains (thermal, controls, electrical, mechanical)Microsoft 365/Excel (including basic macros/VBA for data analysis and reporting)CAD proficiency (SolidWorks, Creo, or equivalent)Engineering calculations and documentation (MathCAD, EES, or equivalent)Heat transfer analysis (conduction, convection, two-phase)Strong cross-domain knowledge across thermal, controls, electrical systems—generalists with 80% mastery across domains highly valuedThermodynamic cycle analysisFluid mechanics and hydraulic system designThermal system component sizing and selectionPrototype fabrication and hands-on testingCross-functional project executionPreferredPh.D.Software/Simulation experiencePython scripting and environment management (package installation, virtual environments, basic automation)CFD (ANSYS Fluent, Star-CCM+, OpenFOAM, or equivalent)FEA (ANSYS Mechanical, Abaqus, or equivalent)MATLAB/Simulink for system modeling and controlsControls fundamentals (feedback loops, PID tuning, system response)Electrical systems basics (motor sizing, VFDs, power distribution)Refrigeration system design and refrigerant propertiesData center cooling architectures (direct liquid cooling, rear-door heat exchangers, CDUs)Expert in one or more thermal domains (CDU, chiller, dry cooler, cold plate systems) 

Created: 2026-02-01