Senior Performance Engineer, Thermal Modeling

XNRGY Climate Systems

. Develop and maintain thermal and performance models for chiller and air-side systems.

Posted 10/9/2026full-timeMesa • Arizona • United StatesSeniorWebsite

Core Competencies

Role fit

Core Competencies

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Demonstrates expertise in developing and validating thermal and performance models for HVAC and refrigeration systems, with a strong foundation in thermodynamics, heat transfer, and psychrometrics. Proficient in utilizing technical computing tools and analyzing test data to ensure model accuracy and performance validation.

Highest-signal resume keywords

Thermal ModelingPerformance TestingData AnalysisTechnical Computing ToolsHVAC Engineering

ATS Keywords

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Applicant Tracking System Keywords

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Hard Skills

ThermodynamicsHeat TransferPsychrometricsPerformance ModelingData Center CoolingMeasurement UncertaintyModel-to-Test CorrelationEmpirical ModelingSemi-Empirical ModelingEngineering Data Analysis

Soft Skills

Judgment Around Data QualityProblem Solving

Tools & Technologies

PythonMATLABCoolPropREFPROPSQLGit

Industry Keywords

HVACRefrigerationTurbomachineryAHRIASHRAEAMCA

Tech Stack

Tools & technologies

PythonSQL

About the role

Key responsibilities & impact

Develop and maintain thermal and performance models for chiller and air-side systems.
Incorporate real-world equipment behavior and operating conditions into models.
Compare model predictions against test data, identify discrepancies and root causes, and improve model accuracy and robustness.
Work with Testing & Labs to define test requirements, analyze results, validate models, and establish certified operating envelopes.
Translate engineering models and test results into reliable selection logic, including off-design conditions, part-load operation, and coupled product performance.
Support AHRI, ASHRAE, and AMCA ratings, certifications, performance documentation, and standardized model outputs.
Serve as the technical performance expert for stakeholders.
Help resolve complex selections and performance questions and support customer-facing requirements.
Work directly with test data and partner with stakeholders to ensure tool predictions match actual equipment performance.
Travel occasionally to test facilities, supplier test sites, and customer or consultant meetings.

Requirements

What you’ll need

Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering, Thermal Engineering, or a related engineering discipline.
7+ years of experience in HVAC, refrigeration, turbomachinery, or related performance engineering.
Experience developing and validating empirical or semi-empirical performance models against test data.
Strong knowledge of thermodynamics, heat transfer, and psychrometrics.
Deep expertise in either air-side or refrigerant-side performance modeling, with working knowledge of the other.
Air-side experience with data center cooling is strongly preferred.
Experience with performance testing, test data analysis, measurement uncertainty, and model-to-test correlation.
Proven judgment around data quality.
Proficiency with technical computing tools such as Python, MATLAB, or equivalent.
Experience working with engineering data and property libraries such as CoolProp or REFPROP.
Familiarity with SQL and Git is a plus.
Ability to travel approximately 20% of the time.

Benefits

Comp & perks

Hybrid flexibility
Opportunity to work on cutting-edge chiller and data center cooling technologies
Opportunity to lead and develop a growing Supplier Quality Engineering team
Collaboration with talented cross-functional teams
Opportunity to support XNRGY’s continued growth