Senior Thermal Engineer

About Blue Bird Corporation

Blue Bird (NASDAQ: BLBD) 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. For more information on Blue Bird’s complete product and service portfolio, visit www.blue-bird.com.

 

JOB SUMMARY

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. T 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.

 

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

• 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.

 

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES FOR SUCCESS

• 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 abil