Senior Thermal Engineer

Senior Vehicle Thermal Systems Engineer

Blue Bird is recognized as a technology leader and innovator of school buses since its founding in 1927. Our dedicated team members design, engineer and manufacture school buses with a singular focus on safety, reliability, and durability. School buses carry the most precious cargo in the world – 25 million children twice a day – making them the most trusted mode of student transportation. The company is the proven leader in low- and zero-emission school buses with more than 25,000 propane, natural gas, and electric powered buses sold. Blue Bird is transforming the student transportation industry through cleaner energy solutions.

The Senior Vehicle Thermal Systems Engineer is responsible for the vehicle-level thermal management strategy for next-generation commercial chassis platform from concept through production launch. This role is responsible for engine and transmission cooling, HVAC integration, cooling module design, airflow management, coolant routing, fan strategy, thermal controls, and heat rejection performance across demanding commercial vehicle duty cycles. The engineer will make vehicle-level technical decisions that directly affect chassis packaging, durability, serviceability, manufacturing, performance, and launch timing.

Working across propulsion, chassis integration, controls, validation, manufacturing, suppliers, and external engineering partners, this position has significant autonomy to establish requirements, resolve complex trade-offs, and drive technical execution without waiting for layered approvals.

This is a high-accountability role for an experienced thermal specialist who can create solutions from a blank slate, make sound decisions with incomplete information, and own results from concept through production launch.

Thermal Architecture Ownership: Define and own the commercial chassis cooling architecture, including engine cooling, transmission cooling, HVAC integration, coolant circuits, airflow management, fan strategy, and thermal protection.

Cooling System Development: Design and optimize cooling modules, radiators, charge air coolers, condensers, heat exchangers, pumps, fans, valves, reservoirs, plumbing, and related components.

Vehicle-Level Integration: Lead integration of thermal systems into the chassis while balancing heat rejection, packaging, manufacturability, serviceability, durability, cost, and production readiness.

Commercial Duty-Cycle Performance: Develop cooling strategies for high ambient temperatures, low-speed operation, extended idle, grade performance, stop-and-go use, heavy payloads, and other severe commercial vehicle conditions.

Thermal Analysis & Optimization: Perform and interpret 1D and 3D thermal-fluid analyses to optimize coolant flow, airflow, heat rejection, fan performance, and system efficiency.

Thermal Controls Integration: Define requirements and operating strategies for fans, pumps, valves, compressors, protection logic, and thermal derate functions in collaboration with controls engineering.

Supplier & External Engineering Direction: Provide technical direction to suppliers and engineering service providers while retaining ownership of requirements, component selection, design decisions, performance, and technical deliverables.

Validation & Production Readiness: Develop and execute thermal DVP&R activities through laboratory, dynamometer, environmental, proving-ground, and vehicle testing to confirm readiness for production.

Launch & Manufacturing Support: Support prototype builds, pilot operations, production launch, and early manufacturing by resolving packaging, assembly, supplier, and performance issues with urgency.

Root Cause & Corrective Action: Lead investigation and resolution of overheating, insufficient heat rejection, coolant imbalance, leakage, airflow recirculation, HVAC deficiencies, thermal derating, and field reliability concerns.

Operate in Ambiguity: Create structure and drive execution where requirements, packaging constraints, supplier capabilities, and technical solutions are evolving simultaneously.

Deep expertise in commercial vehicle cooling systems, thermodynamics, heat transfer, fluid dynamics, refrigeration cycles, and airflow management.

Strong understanding of engine, transmission, HVAC, and auxiliary cooling systems for commercial or heavy-duty vehicle applications.

Proven ability to make vehicle-level technical trade-offs involving performance, packaging, durability, serviceability, manufacturing, cost, and launch timing.

Advanced experience with cooling module design, heat exchanger sizing, coolant routing, fan systems, thermal controls, and underhood airflow.

Proficiency with GT-SUITE, Simcenter Amesim, ANSYS Fluent, Star-CCM+, or equivalent thermal and CFD tools.

Experience developing requirements, DVP&R plans, DFMEAs, technical specifications, and system-level validation strategies.

Experience instrumenting and testing vehicles using thermocouples, pressure transducers, flow meters, data acquisition systems, and CAN-based tools.

Ability to direct suppliers and external engineering partners while maintaining technical ownership and accountability.

Strong analytical, troubleshooting, communication, and rapid decision-making skills.

Bachelor's degree in Mechanical, Aerospace, or Automotive Engineering or related discipline with emphasis in thermal sciences, heat transfer, or fluid mechanics.

7+ years experience developing vehicle cooling systems, thermal architectures, HVAC systems, or heat rejection solutions for automotive, commercial vehicle, heavy-duty, off-highway, or similarly complex mobile platforms.

All candidates must be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident. Candidates must be authorized to work in the United States and will be required to provide proof of employment eligibility at the time of hire.

Demonstrated ownership of a major vehicle thermal system from concept through prototype development, validation, production launch, and issue resolution.

Experience integrating thermal systems into constrained chassis packaging environments while balancing vehicle-level performance and production requirements.

Experience making complex engineering decisions with limited structure, incomplete information, and aggressive program timing.

Experience working directly with manufacturing, suppliers, external engineering partners, and cross-functional vehicle development teams.

Experience with commercial trucks, buses, vocational vehicles, stripped chassis, body-on-chassis platforms, or incomplete vehicle applications.

Experience developing cooling architectures for high-load, high-ambient, low-speed, grade, extended-idle, or severe-duty operation.

Experience integrating multiple propulsion or vehicle configurations within a common commercial chassis architecture.

Experience with clean-sheet or major redesign vehicle programs operating under aggressive launch timelines.

Experience leading supplier technical development, component selection, industrialization, or recovery activities.

Master's degree in Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, Automotive Engineering, or a related thermal discipline.

Experience resolving thermal issues during prototype builds, manufacturing launch, or customer field operation.

Takes ownership of complex vehicle behavior and controls challenges and drives them to resolution.

Thrives in ambiguity and enjoys developing new control strategies from a clean sheet.

Operates with urgency while maintaining strong engineering judgment.

Thinks in systems and understands how software influences complete vehicle performance.

Can balance vehicle performance, energy efficiency, emissions, diagnostics, durability, and customer experience.

Can influence technical direction across cross-functional engineering teams, suppliers, and external engineering partners without direct authority.

Wants meaningful ownership over how next-generation commercial vehicles perform in the real world.

Includes

Continued Professional Development

Benefits including medical, dental and vision insurance, 14 paid holidays, vacation time and 401k matching

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Office environment and production environment

Must work in a manufacturing environment with exposure to heat, cold and noise

Fast-paced production area with moving objects and sheet metal

Occasional periods of standing or sitting for extended periods of time

You must wear appropriate PPE when and where required

Frequent weeks working 40+ hours

Frequent communication with people throughout the day

Blue Bird® is an equal opportunity employer and makes employment decisions on the basis of merit. We strive to have the best available talent in every job based on the Knowledge, Skills and Abilities each person brings. Blue Bird is committed to compliance with all applicable laws providing equal employment opportunities. This commitment applies to all persons involved in Company operations and prohibits unlawful discrimination in all forms.

All candidates must be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident. Candidates must be authorized to work in the United States and will be required to provide proof of employment eligibility at the time of hire.