Research Scientist Domain Lead - Thermodynamics

This is a senior individual contributor role—a domain expert position that does not carry direct people management responsibilities. As the Research Scientist Domain Lead for Thermodynamics, you will serve as Vertiv's principal technical expert on advanced cooling research, provide strategic guidance on thermal innovation initiatives, and coordinate research efforts across internal teams and external partners. You will contribute original research, help prioritize thermodynamics projects within Vertiv's Horizon 3 portfolio, and ensure research activities align with both near-term product needs and long-term strategic positioning in AI and high-performance computing thermal management.

Reports to: Emerging Technology & Research Leader
Location: Columbus, OH 

RESPONSIBILITIES

Research & Technical Strategy

• Lead or co-lead research projects in advanced thermal management, conducting original research in cooling technologies, heat transfer, or related thermal systems.
• Evaluate and prioritize research initiatives against killer assumptions and technical feasibility.
• Provide expert technical assessment and recommendations on research programs spanning: hybrid 1- and 2-phase direct-to-chip cooling, heat-reuse architectures, natural refrigerants, cryogenic cooling systems, and nano-particle fluid additives.
• Design, conduct, and validate experimental thermal testing programs.
• Present research outcomes and technical findings to internal stakeholders, customers, and executive leadership.
• Contribute to Vertiv's intellectual property strategy by identifying patentable innovations and supporting patent development.

Cross-Functional Research Coordination

• Coordinate research efforts between internal teams (Power Systems, Materials, IT Infrastructure, Business Units) and external research partners.
• Identify technical dependencies and interfaces across research programs. 
• Provide expert thermal architecture guidance and cooling strategy recommendations for Vertiv product evaluations and system designs.
• Facilitate knowledge sharing and technical collaboration across Vertiv's thermal innovation initiatives. 
• Coordinate with Vertiv Business Unit Advanced Technology & Strategy leaders to align research with product roadmaps.

External & University Partnerships

• Identify, evaluate, and recommend university and research institution partnerships to extend Vertiv's thermodynamics capabilities.
• Represent Vertiv in technical collaborations, research consortia, and industry conferences. 
• Build and maintain Vertiv's reputation as a thought leader in advanced thermal management and cooling innovation.

PREFERRED AREA OF TECHNOLOGICAL FOCUS:

• Single-phase and two-phase heat transfer and cooling systems
  • Direct-to-chip cooling architectures
  • Thermal management for high-power-density electronics
  • Heat exchanger design and optimization
  • Alternative refrigerants and cryogenic systems
  • Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) or thermal modeling

REQUIREMENTS

• Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering, Thermodynamics, Thermal Engineering, Chemical Engineering, or related discipline.
• Master's degree in a relevant engineering discipline may be considered with exceptional research and development experience in thermal management systems (8+ years).
• 5+ years of professional experience in thermodynamics or thermal systems research, development, or applied engineering.
• Design and execution of experimental thermal testing programs. 
• Experience leading or co-leading research projects (no direct management required) across multiple technical disciplines and university or government research partnerships

PREFERRED:

• Track record of translating research into commercial products, prototypes, or technical specifications.
• Deep, current knowledge of thermodynamics, heat transfer, and thermal management systems.
• Ability to design, conduct, and interpret complex thermal experiments and validation testing.
• Strong technical judgment in evaluating research feasibility and risk.
• Excellent written and verbal communication; skilled presenter at conferences and executive forums.
• Comfortable translating between technical and commercial language.
• Ability to build credibility and trust with internal teams, leadership, and external research partners.

Research Innovation

• Track record of identifying and developing novel research directions.
• Demonstrated ability to synthesize solutions from interdisciplinary research and collaboration.

• Travel: 10–15% for research collaboration meetings, university partnerships, customer technical engagements, and technical conferences.

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