
Vertical Aerospace · Bristol
Our Mission At Vertical Aerospace, we are pioneering the way for electric aviation. The Valo, our eVTOL (electric, vertical, take-off and landing), 'zero emis...
Our Mission
At Vertical Aerospace, we are pioneering the way for electric aviation. The Valo, our eVTOL (electric, vertical, take-off and
landing), 'zero emissions' aircraft will set a new safety standard for how we will navigate the sky.
We won't realise our mission following the same legacy processes and traditions our predecessors followed, instead, we want to
'redefine' aerospace best practices. We are growing quickly from a prototype business to a scaling SME, and the next few years
will be critical to our success and delivering on our ambitious goals. Valo is targeting airliner-level safety certification in
2029 ahead of entering service with our airline and operator customers.
As an Advanced Mechanical Design Engineer (Thermal Runaway), you will join our Energy Storage team, working on one of the most
critical safety challenges in electric aviation: thermal runaway prevention, mitigation and containment.
You will play a key role in progressing thermal runaway testing, analysing test data, and translating insights into robust
mechanical designs, simulations and qualification strategies. This role sits at the heart of our battery safety and certification
journey.
A typical day could involve supporting live thermal runaway tests, analysing results to inform next-stage design or simulation,
collaborating with stress and manufacturing teams, or developing qualification strategies for novel materials and components.
This role is well suited to an engineer who enjoys technically complex problems, thrives in fast-paced development environments,
and wants to own meaningful safety-critical hardware.
prerequisite)
cylindrical cells
What can you expect from us?
We're on a mission. Where others see limits, we see opportunity, and we work at pace. Working at Vertical isn't your average role
but for those seeking a challenge, a flexible, supportive organisation and an incredible team; working here is an opportunity to
do the best work of your career.
Our approach promotes ingenuity and courage, while our environment builds success through diligence in safety and being open in
the way we work. The only way we're going to assure the next chapter of aviation history is by working as a team, relentlessly,
towards our goal.
Our benefits
Our people matter - we're not going anywhere without them. Which is why our company benefits go beyond the essentials.
We may just be the hardest job you've ever had, but we're confident it will be the most rewarding. Join the team today and help us
shape the future of Advanced Air Mobility.
Disclaimer Statement
We encourage you to apply even if you may not have all the experience listed in the advert. We recognise that talent comes in
various forms and we are committed to providing opportunities that create an environment of growth, diversity, and inclusion for
everyone. As part of our desire to review and make our processes fair, we may ask you questions related to these aspects during
the application process. For more information on how we will use your data, see our Legal section.
About us Graphcore is one of the world’s leading innovators in Artificial Intelligence compute. It is developing hardware, software and systems infrastructure that will unlock the next generation of AI breakthroughs and power the widespread adoption of AI solutions across every industry. As part of the SoftBank Group, Graphcore is a member of an elite family of companies responsible for some of the world’s most transformative technologies. Together, they share a bold vision: to enable Artificial Super Intelligence and ensure its benefits are accessible to everyone. Graphcore’s teams are drawn from diverse backgrounds and bring a broad range of skills and perspectives. A melting pot of AI research specialists, silicon designers, software engineers and systems architects, Graphcore enjoys a culture of continuous learning and constant innovation. Job Summary As a Staff Manufacturing Product Engineer, you will be working closely with the Graphcore Design and Test Engineering teams, Quality and Supply Chain Management in support of NPI development and volume production. You will work with Design Engineering to ensure product is manufacturable and with Supply Chain to identify suitable suppliers. You will work closely with the contract manufacturers to provide day to day manufacturing support as well as continuous improvements in manufacturing capabilities, quality and yield. You will develop an understanding of Graphcore products and link the manufacturing processes to key product performance metrics. You will be expected to understand, analyse and develop relevant manufacturing KPIs and metrics and be comfortable with the use and development of leading-edge data analysis tools. The Team The role will be as part of the Manufacturing Technology team at Graphcore. This team is part of the Manufacturing Operations department and has members in Bristol, Cambridge and Taiwan. The team is responsible for developing and maintaining robust manufacturing processes at the wafer foundry, package assembly and PCBA subcontractors based in Taiwan. Key Responsibilities * Provide input into the hardware design team to ensure optimum manufacturability and ensure timely and focussed DfM feedback to the PCB and system design teams. * Understand the capabilities of the contract manufacturer and ensure good alignment between their capabilities and the hardware design. * Work closely with the Contract Manufacturer to identify and drive improvement activities in L6 assembly * Investigate, research and develop new and novel technologies for next generation products with suppliers. * Work with the quality team to drive yield improvements and partake in activities internally and externally at L6 and L10 system assembly partner(s) * Manage external engineering relationships at our manufacturing partners during NPI and the early stages of volume manufacture * Expert in L6 and L10 manufacturing methods and able to provide expert support in volume manufacture to understand and resolve issues as and when they arise. * Drive data analysis methods and requirements for volume production data * Work closely with product engineering and quality to drive system quality improvements * Support customer engagements as required * This position will require travel to Taiwan. Other global travel may be necessary to sub suppliers and customers. Essential Skills: * Strong fault diagnosis, problem solving and failure analysis skills, eg ICT to SMT debug * Extensive experience and expertise in PCB assembly and test processes (L6) * Practical experience in the assembly and test of complex PCBAs either in-house or at a Contract Manufacturer * Working knowledge of L10 mechanical design, system build; ideally for HPC products * Understanding of manufacturing execution and engineering data collection systems * Ability to understand the interaction between silicon, package and PCB assembly in order to provide DfM feedback to design teams and optimise manufacturing yield * Experience and demonstrable knowledge of continuous improvement methodologies employing tools such as DMAIC, SPC and DoE, and with lean six sigma methods * Ability to work on own initiative as well as in cross functional and cross regional teams by employing strong interpersonal skills * Experience in working with leading edge suppliers in Semiconductor Manufacture, PCB Manufacturer and Contract Manufacturers * Degree level education in electronic or mechanical engineering, manufacturing, or related subject Desirable * Green Belt accreditation * Understanding of advanced node wafer fabrication technologies as well as package assembly processes * Knowledge of advanced packaging technologies such as 2.5D and 3D integration, large copper pillar flip chip packages, advanced thermal management solutions etc BENEFITS In addition to a competitive salary, Graphcore offers flexible working, a generous annual leave policy, private medical insurance and health cash plan, a dental plan, pension (matched up to 5%), life assurance and income protection. We have a generous parental leave policy and an employee assistance programme (which includes health, mental wellbeing, and bereavement support). We offer a range of healthy food and snacks at our central Bristol office and have our own barista bar! We welcome people of different backgrounds and experiences; we’re committed to building an inclusive work environment that makes Graphcore a great home for everyone. We offer an equal opportunity process and understand that there are visible and invisible differences in all of us. We can provide a flexible approach to interview and encourage you to chat to us if you require any reasonable adjustments. Applicants for this position must hold the right to work in the UK. Unfortunately at this time, we are unable to provide visa sponsorship or support for visa applications
Our Mission At Vertical Aerospace, we are pioneering the way for electric aviation. The Valo, our eVTOL (electric, vertical, take-off and landing), 'zero emissions' aircraft will set a new safety standard for how we will navigate the sky. We won't realise our mission following the same legacy processes and traditions our predecessors followed, instead, we want to 'redefine' aerospace best practices. We are growing quickly from a prototype business to a scaling SME, and the next few years will be critical to our success and delivering on our ambitious goals. Valo is targeting airliner-level safety certification in 2029 ahead of entering service with our airline and operator customers. We’re now looking for an Advanced Thermal Engineer to play a key role in shaping the thermal performance of our aircraft. This role sits at the heart of our battery and powertrain development, combining high-fidelity modelling with system-level thinking to ensure safe, efficient and certifiable performance. WHAT YOU’LL DO * Lead battery thermal CFD analysis, supporting design verification across key programme milestones * Develop and apply high-fidelity and system-level thermal models across battery and wider vehicle systems * Contribute to powertrain and avionics thermal analysis, supporting overall vehicle performance * Support design decisions through simulation, trade studies and engineering insight * Work cross-functionally with design, test and systems teams to align modelling with real-world outcomes * Correlate simulation with test data to validate models and improve confidence in results * Define appropriate modelling approaches to answer complex engineering questions * Communicate findings clearly to both technical and non-technical stakeholders * Contribute to the development of tools, methods and best practices in thermal modelling * Produce high-quality technical documentation to support design and certification * Engage with external partners including universities and research organisations * Provide technical oversight and guidance to junior engineers, reviewing their work in detail and supporting the development of robust, high-quality analysis across the team WHAT YOU'LL BRING * Degree in Mechanical, Aerospace or a related engineering discipline * Strong experience in thermal CFD analysis (e.g. Ansys Fluent, Star-CCM+) * Experience in battery thermal modelling strongly preferred but Modelling experience in alternative Powertrain systems will be considered * Knowledge of heat transfer, fluid dynamics and thermal management systems * Experience using MATLAB / Simulink / Simscape * Proven ability to correlate simulation results with test data * Understanding of how system-level requirements (performance, safety, durability) influence modelling * Strong analytical mindset with the ability to work from first principles * Ability to work autonomously and deliver in a fast-paced environment * Clear and confident communication skills #LI-OS1 What can you expect from us? We're on a mission. Where others see limits, we see opportunity, and we work at pace. Working at Vertical isn't your average role but for those seeking a challenge, a flexible, supportive organisation and an incredible team; working here is an opportunity to do the best work of your career. Our approach promotes ingenuity and courage, while our environment builds success through diligence in safety and being open in the way we work. The only way we're going to assure the next chapter of aviation history is by working as a team, relentlessly, towards our goal. Our benefits Our people matter - we're not going anywhere without them. Which is why our company benefits go beyond the essentials. * 26 days holiday, plus bank holiday * 5 extra days per year to buy (or sell) * 5 extra days holiday when you get married or enter a civil partnership * Additional 4% of your salary to spend on extra benefits * Award-winning digital health and wellbeing service (Help@Hand) * Company performance based bonus - rewarding company and individual performance * Company Share Scheme - open to every Vertical employee * Company Pension Scheme - 5% and we match it * Breakfast on us, every day We may just be the hardest job you've ever had, but we're confident it will be the most rewarding. Join the team today and help us shape the future of Advanced Air Mobility. Disclaimer Statement We encourage you to apply even if you may not have all the experience listed in the advert. We recognise that talent comes in various forms and we are committed to providing opportunities that create an environment of growth, diversity, and inclusion for everyone. As part of our desire to review and make our processes fair, we may ask you questions related to these aspects during the application process. For more information on how we will use your data, see our Legal section.
ABOUT THE JOB Help bring the next generation of AI hardware from design into high volume manufacturing. You'll lead the industrialisation of advanced thermal cooling solutions for AI compute processors and accelerator systems. Your work will ensure designs can be built reliably, validated efficiently, and scaled for production. You'll shape manufacturing processes for cold plates, thermal interface materials, and mechanical assemblies. You'll work closely with design teams, manufacturing partners, and specialist suppliers to solve complex engineering challenges. This role offers broad technical ownership and the opportunity to influence products from development through to manufacturing deployment across a global supply chain. THE TEAM AND CULTURE You'll join the Manufacturing Technology team within Manufacturing Operations. The team works across Bristol, Cambridge, India, Taiwan, and the US to develop robust manufacturing processes for advanced hardware. Day to day, you'll work closely with engineering, operations, quality teams, and manufacturing partners. Decisions are driven by technical evidence, testing, and continuous improvement. You'll take ownership of manufacturing readiness, solve issues during build cycles, and help improve quality, yield, and production capability. WHAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR ESSENTIAL: * Strong experience in thermal, mechanical and/or manufacturing engineering * Experience bringing complex electromechanical products from development into high-volume production. * Strong understanding of thermal management technologies for high-power electronics, including: * Liquid cooling systems, cold plates and vapour chambers * Heat sinks and heat spreaders * Thermal interface materials (TIMs) * Mechanical retention and mounting systems * Solid understanding of thermal management principles (heat transfer, cooling solutions, TIMs, etc.) * Experience with DFM (Design for Manufacture), manufacturing processes, assembly, and tolerancing * Master’s degree in Mechanical Engineering, Thermal Engineering, Manufacturing or a related discipline DESIRABLE: * Experience with thermal and/or mechanical simulation tools (CFD / FEA) * Knowledge of PCB design and manufacturing technology * Knowledge of qualification and reliability testing of mechanical and thermal assemblies BENEFITS * Unlimited annual leave * Up to 5% matched pension * Phantom equity – share in Graphcore's success * True flexibility in how and where you work * Office spaces designed for collaboration * Free food and an on-site barista * Health cash plan * Income protection * Life assurance * Along with other benefits you can choose from (private medical insurance, dental plan etc) We welcome people from all backgrounds and experiences and are committed to building an inclusive environment where everyone can do their best work. We're an equal opportunity employer and recognise that everyone brings different strengths and perspectives. If you need any adjustments during the interview process, just let us know. We're happy to support you. JOIN THE TEAM AT GRAPHCORE Graphcore is building the compute platform for the next generation of artificial intelligence. From advanced silicon to intelligent software, our technology is designed to unlock breakthroughs in AI and bring its benefits to every industry. As part of the SoftBank Group, we're backed by one of the world's most ambitious technology investors, working alongside companies shaping the future of AI. Together, we share a bold goal: to help enable artificial superintelligence and ensure it delivers meaningful impact at a global scale. At Graphcore, you'll work with people who are pushing the boundaries of what's possible. Our teams bring together AI researchers, chip designers, software engineers and systems experts from a wide range of backgrounds. It's an environment where we take on big challenges with curiosity and focus, move quickly and decisively, take real ownership of our work, and speak up to challenge ideas, stepping up to support each other and lead through action. If you want to help bring advanced AI hardware into production at scale, we'd love to hear from you. Apply now to join Graphcore.