Thermal Engineer Job Description, Skills, and Salary
Are you searching for a thermal engineer job description? Get to know about the duties, responsibilities, qualifications, and skills requirements of a thermal engineer. Feel free to use our thermal engineer job description template to produce your own thermal engineer job description. We also provide you with information about the salary you can earn as a thermal engineer.
Who is a Thermal Engineer?
A Thermal Engineer is a specialist in the intricate area of engineering that concentrates on fluid mechanics, heat transfer, mass transfer, and thermodynamics. The conversion of heat energy into mechanical, chemical, and electrical energy as well as the conversion of other energies into heat are all topics covered by thermodynamics. Thermal engineers carefully cover areas of heat creation and evacuation in an electronics system.
A thermal engineer’s job entails bringing up ways to remove waste heat from a process or keep highly particular thermal conditions there. You can build, manage, or fix mechanical systems that convert heat into different types of energy as a thermal engineer. You can examine the interactions between mechanical heat sources and various physical and industrial systems. As a thermal engineer, you can also examine several aspects of heat transmission inside a system, which occasionally entails gas and chemical fluids.
Some thermal engineers specialize in air conditioning and refrigeration. This area of thermal engineering aims to address the problems with air conditioning and refrigeration, such as creating and putting in more effective cooling systems. They strive to design better, more environmentally friendly systems by consuming less energy and releasing less heat into the atmosphere.
Thermal engineers create solutions for intricate systems as educated specialists. They collaborate with other disciplines even if their primary area of interest may be mechanical. These professionals ensure that business operations function effectively by combining communication and organizational abilities. These abilities help a project be completed quickly and economically. Their efforts result in an infrastructure that is more creative and effective. Every day, the effects of a thermal engineer’s labor are all around us.
Additionally, they function on systems of all sizes, ranging from large ones like an airplane engine or industrial boiler to little ones like those found in electronics. Thermal engineers may concentrate on theoretical projects rather than creating new systems or fixing existing ones.
Thermal Engineer Job Description
What is a thermal engineer job description? A thermal engineer job description is simply a list of duties and responsibilities of a thermal engineer in an organization. Below are the thermal engineer job description examples you can use to develop your resume or write a thermal engineer job description for your employee. Employers can also use it to sieve out job seekers when choosing candidates for interviews.
The duties and responsibilities of the thermal engineer include the following:
- Analyze current heat transfer processes to identify areas for improvement and cost-saving measures.
- Choose the right materials and parts while taking note of thermal transmission, acoustics, and corrosion.
- Collaborate with other engineering workers and stakeholders to meet desired tasks and goals.
- Create accurate 3D models, assess designs, verify with physical testing, and iterate to develop effective designs for the best possible product performance.
- Create simulation reports, knowledge papers, A3s, and CCDs to record information and encourage future reuse.
- Conduct tooling trials and take part in them to verify the reliability and appropriate performance of new tooling.
- Make heat transfer calculations for various circumstances and media.
- Give recommendations for the cooling, heating, insulation, etc needed for a specific project or system.
- Use Computer-aided design (CAD) tools to design heat exchangers, such as evaporators, coolers, heaters, radiators, and condensers.
- Refer to project specifications, industry codes and norms, safety considerations, electrical requirements, and other aspects to ensure that designs adhere to rules.
- Ensure to construct systems according to thermal transfer standards.
- Reduce the entire simulation and design cycle time by developing new methods and simulation capabilities.
- Work with cross-functional, category, and international teams to align with simulation capabilities, methodologies, and knowledge exchange.
- Serve as a point of contact between engineers at work and outside vendors to guarantee that projects are delivered precisely and on schedule.
Qualifications
- High School Certificate, GED, or its equivalent
- A bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering, or a closely related discipline
- Master’s degree in a relevant area (advantageous)
- Experience in thermal engineering either through internship or apprenticeship
- Get licensed in your country of residence if possible
Essential Skills
Here are the skills you need to excel as a thermal engineer:
- Analytical Ability
- Combustion Engineering
- Excellent Communication
- Flexibility and a Willingness to Learn
- Organization
- Thermal Control
- Scientific Analysis
- Technical Skill
- Problem-solving
- Project Management
- Thermal System Design
- Thermal Machinery
- 2D and 3D Interpretation Plan
Analytical Ability
Analytical ability is the capacity to solve issues and come to conclusions based on knowledge. Thermal engineers use this skill to choose the optimal course of action for a project. For instance, they could utilize their analytical skill to choose the best heating or cooling system for a structure.
Combustion Engineering
The application of the science of combustion to industrial systems is the focus of this subfield of thermal engineering. In this area of engineering, thermal engineers can build and test energy-burning systems, plan and execute combustion equipment, and even create new technologies for ecologically friendly fuel use.
Excellent Communication
This skill is relevant in every aspect of life. Thermal engineers frequently collaborate with other engineers and industry experts. When working with these people, having effective communication skills can help you finish projects and solve difficulties. Additionally, you might have to discuss your job with clients and consumers.
Flexibility and a Willingness to Learn
Thermal engineers should learn to accept new technologies. Engineering is more than just making or building things; ongoing research in several engineering disciplines produces new technologies. They must stay current to provide answers to new problems and technological advances. They should also learn to adapt to these changes are they arise.
Organization
Thermal engineers plan schedules and any technical tasks relevant to the project and manage the resources, budget, deadlines, and human resources of engineering projects. They can also modify products’ designs or parts to satisfy specifications.
Thermal Control
Thermal control skill helps you as a thermal engineer to preserve high-power systems and applications in challenging situations and provide thermal management solutions for product design, system development, and electronic equipment. These may potentially be developed in collaboration with clients or other engineers.
Scientific Analysis
Thermal engineers use scientific procedures and approaches based on empirical or quantifiable observations to acquire, amend, or increase knowledge about phenomena.
Technical Skill
Technical skills are the knowledge and aptitude for using equipment and technology to carry out tasks. Thermal engineers use technical expertise to create and analyze models, develop systems, and research.
Problem-solving
As a thermal engineer, you may need to address challenging issues that arise throughout the design process. Strong problem-solving abilities can assist you in resolving these problems and guarantee the project’s success.
Project Management
You may supervise a project’s development, creation, and execution with the help of project management abilities. Thermal engineers handle the installation of HVAC systems, heating and cooling systems, and other types of equipment with their project management abilities. Additionally, they employ their project management expertise to control a project’s budget and guarantee that it satisfies the client’s requirements.
Thermal System Design
Thermodynamics, fluid mechanics, and heat transport are simultaneously taken into account in the specialist field of thermal engineering as interrelated processes utilized to arrive at suitable solutions in practical design and systems. Workers in this branch of thermal engineering may deal with pumps, turbines, heat exchangers, fluid flow, and heat transfer, among other energy conversion systems.
Thermal Machinery
Thermal engineers use convection, radiation, combustion, and other aspects of heat transmission to conceptually design cooling and healing equipment. Given that these devices constantly circulate heat throughout the system, the temperature should be constant and ideal.
2D and 3D Interpretation Plan
Thermal engineers’ 2D and 3D interpretation plan knowledge helps them interpret and comprehend plans and drawings for industrial processes that contain two-dimensional and three-dimensional representations.
How to Become a Thermal Engineer
Below are steps to follow to become a thermal engineer
Step One: Acquire a Bachelor’s Degree
A Bachelor’s Degree in mechanical engineering or a closely related discipline is often required to start your professional path as a thermal engineer to stay a competitive choice for companies. Focus on developing industry-specific skills during your studies to be prepared for applying for entry-level jobs and starting your career. Before joining the profession, you might need to intern at a place as a thermal engineer to achieve your degree and gain essential on-the-job skills.
Step Two: Choose a Specialty in your Industry
You may need to select a specialty in your profession as a thermal engineer. Choose the area of thermal engineering in which you are most comfortable, and then continue to make efforts to advance in that area.
Step Three: Obtain an Entry-level Position as a Thermal Engineer
You will start your career as an entry-level thermal engineer once you have earned a Bachelor’s Degree in mechanical engineering or a closely related subject. Generally, after getting your four-year bachelor’s degree in a relevant field, you may work as a thermal engineer. You might wish to look into certification depending on the kind of Thermal Engineer position you’re pursuing.
Step Four: Improve Your Career as a Thermal Engineer
There are various stages in the Thermal Engineer job path after entry level. To advance to the next seniority level job as a Thermal Engineer may take two years. To advance in your career as a thermal engineer, you need to have amassed around eight years of experience at each level. To enhance your career as a thermal engineer, you might need to complete extra coursework, earn an advanced degree (such as a Master’s Degree in a related subject), or obtain specialized certifications.
Step Five: Get a License
A person who wants to work as a thermal engineer may need to obtain a license depending on where they live. Employers may easily verify a candidate’s talents and expertise in thermal engineering by looking at their application for licensing. Continuing education may be necessary to keep up with trends and advancements in thermal engineering and maintain a license.
Step Six: Keep Seeking Knowledge in Your Career Path as a Thermal Engineer
Not all businesses and sectors need ongoing education to further your career as a thermal engineer. However, obtaining this degree can make it easier for you to move up to employment with greater pay.
Where to Work as a Thermal Engineer
Thermal engineers can operate in various industries and are not restricted by their areas of specialization.
You could deal with large- or small-scale heating- or cooling-related machinery, such as airplane engines to industrial heaters. You may also be required to work in hot or cold-sensitive environments, such as a power plant or landfill. Thermal engineers can work in aerospace industries, public utilities, and other industrial businesses.
A few examples of other possible fields a thermal engineer can work are:
HVAC (heating, ventilation, and air conditioning) systems in modest-sized to substantial residential, commercial, or industrial buildings.
Renewable energy systems, defense technology companies, electrical and electronic systems, and components workshops.
Power firms, the automobile sector, and commercial buildings. While Thermal Engineers often operate from an office, they frequently need to travel to the location of their job.
Thermal Engineer Salary Scale
The average annual salary for thermal engineers in the USA is $105,000, or $53.85 per hour. More experienced ones may earn up to $140,780 per year, while entry-level roles start at $91,386.
The average annual pay for thermal engineers in the United Kingdom is £47,397, which equates to a wage of $23 per hour. Additionally, they receive bonuses of an average of £1,834. The typical salary for an entry-level thermal engineer (1-3 years of experience) is £32,981. A senior-level thermal engineer (8+ years of experience) will likely make an average income of £58,970.
The average annual salary for a thermal engineer in Canada is CA$110,146 or CA$56.49 per hour. More experienced ones earn up to CA$125,229 yearly, while entry-level roles start at CA$82,000.
Australia’s average annual salary for a thermal engineer is AU$107,192 per year or AU$52 per hour.
The average gross pay for a thermal engineer in Germany is €64,631 or €31 per hour. Additionally, they receive a €2,501 bonus on average. The typical wage for an entry-level thermal engineer (with 1-3 years of experience) is €44,973. On the other hand, the average pay for senior-level thermal engineers (8+ years of experience) is €80,413.
At the time of compiling this data, the salary scale for thermal engineers in Ireland and Nigeria was unavailable.
It is to note that a thermal engineer’s salary structure and scale depend on a location, industry, equipment, company, years of expertise, etc.