Staff Thermal Architect

Location: Boulder, United States | Los Angeles, Canada | Palo Alto, Canada

Department: Spectacles

Employment Type: Full time

About Snap Inc

Snap Inc is a technology company. We believe the camera presents the greatest opportunity to improve the way people live and communicate. Snap contributes to human progress by empowering people to express themselves, live in the moment, learn about the world, and have fun together.

About the Role

Snap Inc is a camera company that believes AR innovation enhances how people live, express themselves, and connect in the moment. Our Spectacles team is pioneering fifth-generation standalone, see-through AR glasses powered by Snap OS, revolutionizing play, learning, and work through immersive camera-driven experiences. Join our creative culture at the forefront of AR wearables, where bold ideas and technical excellence push the boundaries of consumer technology. We're seeking a Staff Thermal Architect to architect groundbreaking thermal solutions that keep Spectacles cool under the heat of cutting-edge AR performance. As Staff Thermal Architect in the Spectacles department, you'll lead the design of thermal management strategies for our next-class AR glasses, ensuring seamless integration with high-performance cameras and displays. Partner with hardware, software, and product teams to model, validate, and optimize thermal behaviors, balancing power efficiency with user comfort in wearable form factors. Your expertise will drive scalable designs from concept to mass production, incorporating advanced passive cooling like vapor chambers and heat pipes tailored to Snap's innovative AR ecosystem. You'll collaborate across Snap's dynamic teams and global partners to predict system performance, implement throttling frameworks, and validate reliability for real-world AR use cases. Staying ahead of thermal trends in consumer electronics and AR, you'll inform our product roadmap, enabling Spectacles to deliver uninterrupted magic. Thrive in our 'Default Together' environment, working 4+ days a week in-office to spark creativity and accelerate innovation. Snap is an equal opportunity employer celebrating diverse voices in our mission to empower human connection through technology.

What You'll Do

• Architect thermal management and mitigation strategies for next-generation Spectacles AR glasses
• Partner with key internal stakeholders to assess system impact of thermal predictions on product architecture and roadmap
• Model transient and steady-state thermal behaviors, refining through validation with real-world performance data
• Co-develop scalable thermal designs with engineering and operations partners, selecting materials, TIMs, and heat spreaders
• Collaborate with product, software, and hardware teams to implement power and thermal throttling strategies
• Specify boundary conditions and frameworks to predict system performance in AR camera-enabled wearables
• Drive design validation, qualification, reliability, and compliance for Spectacles thermal components
• Coordinate internal, external, and vendor resources to achieve product thermal goals
• Monitor thermal, consumer electronics, and AR industry trends to inform Spectacles roadmap
• Ensure thermal solutions support Snap OS and standalone see-through AR experiences

Minimum Qualifications

• MS or PhD in physics, materials science, or mechanical engineering with emphasis in heat transfer and fluid dynamics
• 11+ years relevant experience in thermal simulation, measurement, validation, and correlation
• Demonstrated experience delivering thermal solutions in consumer electronics products
• Strong understanding of passive thermal mitigation strategies including spreaders, heat pipes, and vapor chambers
• Experience with thermal analysis tools such as FloEFD, FloTherm, FlowSimulation, or ANSYS Icepak
• Familiarity with CAD tools such as NX, Solidworks, or Creo
• Ability to travel up to 20%

Preferred Qualifications

• 11+ years of experience developing thermal strategies in consumer electronics at scale
• Demonstrated experience partnering with Asia-based manufacturers and 3rd parties
• Experience designing, modeling, and validating thermal performance for wearable devices
• Experience modeling and managing battery thermal performance
• Knowledge of scripting languages (Python, etc.)
• Experience with executive level presentations and reporting

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities

• Passive thermal mitigation in consumer electronics (spreaders, heat pipes, vapor chambers)
• Thermal analysis and measurement expertise
• Thermal simulation tools (FloEFD, FloTherm, FlowSimulation, ANSYS Icepak)
• Reduced order modeling and analytical thermal approaches
• CAD proficiency (NX, Solidworks, Creo)
• Scaling thermal designs for mass production
• Characterizing, validating, and measuring thermal performance across variances
• System-level power and thermal throttling design
• Strong communication and presentation skills
• Cross-functional collaboration with product, software, hardware teams
• Industry trend monitoring in thermal and AR technologies
• Hands-on validation and correlation of thermal models
• Partner coordination with vendors and manufacturers
• Battery thermal performance modeling
• Scripting for automation (Python)

Our Benefits

• Paid parental leave
• Comprehensive medical coverage
• Emotional and mental health support programs
• Compensation packages with equity in the form of RSUs
• Competitive base salary based on pay zones (Zone A: $229,000-$343,000; Zone B: $218,000-$326,000; Zone C: $195,000-$292,000)
• "Default Together" policy with dynamic in-office collaboration 4+ days per week
• Opportunities to innovate in AR glasses and camera technology
• Support for diverse backgrounds in a creative, fun-loving culture

Compensation

$229,000-$343,000 annually

This position is eligible for equity in the form of RSUs.

"Default Together" Policy: At Snap Inc, we practice a "default together" approach and expect team members to work in an office 4+ days per week.

Snap is proud to be an equal opportunity employer.