Thermal System Simulation Integration Engineer

General Motors is seeking a Technical Expert to advance next-generation virtual thermal system development. This role will help create fast-running, physics-based models of complete vehicle thermal systems and connect those models with advanced controls, vehicle sensor data, and AI-enabled engineering workflows.

The selected candidate will work on large, cross-functional projects spanning battery electric, plug-in hybrid, internal-combustion, and hybrid-electric vehicle architectures. The work will connect high-fidelity analysis, 1D plant models, reduced-order and fast-running models, model predictive control, state estimation, and vehicle-level validation into a scalable virtual development process.

This is an opportunity for a recent Ph.D. graduate who is willing to work in  high-impact engineering programs while developing into a recognized technical leader in vehicle thermal systems, controls, and model-based engineering.
 

• →Develop and integrate fast-running models of complete vehicle thermal systems across BEV, PHEV, ICE, and HEV architectures.
• →Translate detailed thermal system analyses into efficient models that support rapid simulation and broader engineering applications.
• →Support model integration with virtual plant environments and cloud-based engineering workflows.
• →Establish reusable model interfaces, parameterization methods, and validation processes across vehicle variants.

• →Develop and apply model predictive control strategies for coupled vehicle thermal subsystems.
• →Evaluate control performance across drive cycles, ambient conditions, thermal loads, actuator limits, and competing cabin-versus-propulsion objectives.
• →Collaborate with controls, software, calibration, testing, and vehicle integration teams to support software-in-the-loop, model-in-the-loop, and hardware or vehicle validation.

• →Contribute to AI-enabled modeling of vehicle thermal and airflow for thermal plant models.

• →Publish or present technical work when appropriate and protect GM intellectual property and confidential information.

• Ph.D. from an accredited Canadian university completed within the past five years in Mechanical, Automotive, Aerospace, Chemical, Electrical, or Systems Engineering; Applied Mathematics; Computer Science; or a related field.
• Strong foundation in thermal-fluid sciences, dynamic systems, controls, numerical methods, or a closely related discipline.
• Demonstrated research or project experience developing physics-based, reduced-order, fast-running, or control-oriented models.
• Experience programming in MATLAB/Simulink, Python, C++, or comparable engineering and scientific-computing environments.
• Ability to formulate engineering problems mathematically and assess model accuracy, stability, computational performance, and applicability.
• Strong written, verbal, and technical communication skills.

• Research or project experience in vehicle thermal management, battery thermal management, HVAC, refrigeration, heat transfer, aerodynamics, airflow, propulsion systems, or energy systems.
• Experience with 1D network modeling, 0D lumped-parameter modeling, Model Predictive Control formulations and Kalman filter integration.
• Experience with Modelica, GT-SUITE, Matlab/Simulink/Simscape, , STAR-CCM+, OpenFOAM or similar tools. Experience in coding C/C++.
   

Our vision is a world with Zero Crashes, Zero Emissions and Zero Congestion and we embrace the responsibility to lead the change that will make our world better, safer and more equitable for all.

General Motors is committed to being a workplace that is not only free of unlawful discrimination, but one that genuinely fosters inclusion and belonging. We strongly believe that providing an inclusive workplace creates an environment in which our employees can thrive and develop better products for our customers.

We encourage interested candidates to review the key responsibilities and qualifications for each role and apply for any positions that match their skills and capabilities. Applicants in the recruitment process may be required, where applicable, to successfully complete a role-related assessment(s) and/or a pre-employment screening prior to beginning employment. To learn more, visit How we Hire.

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