Lead Thermal Fluids Engineer - Gas Turbine Cooling, Secondary Air Systems & Clearance Design

Siemens Energy and Siemens Gamesa are becoming Omterra. "We energize society" by supporting our customers to make the transition to a more sustainable world, based on innovative technologies and our ability to turn ideas into reality. With nearly 100,000 employees around the world, we shape the energy systems of today and tomorrow.

Lead Thermal Fluids Engineer – Gas Turbine Cooling, Secondary Air Systems & Clearance Design

About the Role

Job ID

298765

Location

United States of America

North Carolina

Charlotte

• UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
• Florida
• Orlando

Company

Organization

Gas Services

Business Unit

Central

Full-time

Experience Level

Professional / Experienced

A Snapshot of Your Day

As the Lead Thermal Fluids Engineer, you will provide technical leadership for the design, analysis, and optimization of gas turbine cooling systems, secondary air systems (SAS), sealing technologies, and clearance management strategies. Working with a global engineering team, you will help define the thermal-fluid architecture of next-generation gas turbines while supporting operational fleet performance, reliability, durability, and efficiency improvements.

You will serve as the organization's subject matter expert for thermal-fluid simulation, aerothermal analysis, and whole-engine thermal behavior, influencing critical design decisions from concept development through field operation. Your expertise will directly impact turbine performance, emissions, availability, and lifecycle cost for some of the world's most advanced power-generation technologies.

How You'll Make an Impact

Technical Leadership & Strategy (40%)

• Serve as the technical authority for gas turbine cooling air systems, sealing technologies, and clearance design.
• Establish engineering standards, best practices, and technology roadmaps for thermal-fluid and aerothermal simulation methodologies.
• Lead technical reviews and provide expert guidance on complex design challenges and fleet issues.
• Mentor, coach, and develop thermal-fluid engineers across a global organization.
• Guide innovation initiatives supporting next-generation gas turbine performance, reliability, and efficiency improvements.
• Translate analytical findings into actionable engineering recommendations for product development and fleet enhancement.

Advanced Thermal-Fluid Analysis & Simulation (30%)

• Lead development and validation of advanced thermal-fluid, flow-network, and whole-engine models.
• Analyze secondary air systems, turbine cooling circuits, sealing effectiveness, and thermal growth behavior.
• Perform and oversee CFD, heat transfer, fluid dynamics, and aerothermal analyses using commercial and proprietary software.
• Evaluate transient thermal behavior, turbine expansion characteristics, and component interactions to optimize assembly and operating clearances.
• Correlate analytical models with prototype testing, operational measurements, and fleet data.
• Support root cause investigations and corrective actions for complex thermal-fluid performance issues.

Product Development & Fleet Improvement (30%)

• Influence conceptual and detailed design of advanced gas turbine products.
• Lead technical investigations into cooling effectiveness, thermal performance, clearance management, and component life improvements.
• Integrate fleet operating experience, test data, and lessons learned into future product designs.
• Conduct engineering risk assessments, including FMEA, for new technologies and major design modifications.
• Collaborate with systems engineering, manufacturing, service engineering, project management, and component design teams.
• Drive continuous improvement initiatives focused on reliability, operability, efficiency, and lifecycle performance.

What You Bring

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or related engineering discipline.
• Master's degree or PhD preferred.
• 10+ years of experience in thermal-fluid engineering, gas turbine design, turbomachinery development, or related fields.
• Demonstrated expertise in gas turbine cooling systems, secondary air systems (SAS), sealing technologies, and clearance management.
• Proven technical leadership experience leading complex engineering programs and mentoring engineering teams.
• Strong understanding of fluid mechanics, heat transfer, thermodynamics, and turbomachinery fundamentals.
• Applicants must be legally authorized for employment in the United States without need for current or future employer-sponsored work authorization. Siemens Energy employees with current visa sponsorship may be eligible for internal transfers.
• Export Control Requirement (ECC): Due to applicable export control laws and regulations, candidates must be a U.S. citizen or national, U.S. permanent resident (i.e., current Green Card holder), or lawfully admitted into the U.S. as a refugee or granted asylum.

Preferred Experience

• Large industrial gas turbines or aerospace turbine engines.
• Whole Engine Modeling (WEM).
• Turbine thermal growth and clearance analysis.
• Aerothermal design and optimization.
• Fleet performance analysis and root cause investigations.
• New product introduction and technology development programs.

Technical Skills

Thermal & Fluid Sciences

• Heat Transfer
• Thermodynamics
• Aerothermal Analysis
• Turbomachinery
• Gas Turbine Systems

Modeling & Simulation

• CFD Analysis
• Thermal-Fluid Network Modeling
• Numerical Simulation
• Computational Engineering
• Whole Engine Modeling (WEM)
• Finite Element Analysis (FEA/FEM)

Software & Tools

Experience with one or more of:

• ANSYS Fluent
• ANSYS CFX
• STAR-CCM+
• Flow Simulator
• Thermal Desktop
• MATLAB
• Python
• Proprietary Thermal-Fluid Analysis Tools
• Data Analytics
• Design Optimization
• Technical Mentoring
• Cross-Functional Leadership

About the Team

Our Gas Services division offers Low-emission power generation through service and decarbonization. Zero or low emission power generation and all gas turbines under one roof, steam turbines and generators. Decarbonization opportunities through service offerings, modernization, and digitalization of the fleet.

Who is Siemens Energy?

At Siemens Energy, we are more than just an energy technology company. With ~100,000 dedicated employees in more than 90 countries, we develop the energy systems of the future, ensuring that the growing energy demand of the global community is met reliably and sustainably. The technologies created in our research departments and factories drive the energy transition and provide the base for one sixth of the world’s electricity generation.

Our global team is committed to making sustainable, reliable, and affordable energy a reality by pushing the boundaries of what is possible. We uphold a 150-year legacy of innovation that encourages our search for people who will support our focus on decarbonization, new technologies, and energy transformation.

• Career growth and development opportunities
• Company paid Health and wellness benefits

EqualEmployment Opportunity Statement

Siemens Energy and Siemens Gamesa Renewable Energy is an Equal Opportunity and Affirmative Action Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to their race, color, creed, religion, national origin, citizenship status, ancestry, sex, age, physical or mental disability unrelated to ability, marital status, family responsibilities, pregnancy, genetic information, sexual orientation, gender expression, gender identity, transgender, sex stereotyping, order of protection status, protected veteran or military status, or an unfavorable discharge from military service, and other categories protected by federal, state or local law.

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