Job Description Summary
GE Aerospace Research is the innovation engine powering the future of flight. Located in Niskayuna, New York, we build on more than 125 years of industrial research heritage, tackling the most challenging engineering problems through multi-disciplinary teams. We invent the future of flight, lift people up, and bring them home safely.
We are seeking a Technology Manager - Component Heat Transfer to lead a world-class team advancing the cooling and thermal design technologies that let high temperature components survive and perform in next-generation aerospace and propulsion systems. This role shapes the technical direction of a critical capability area, connecting fundamental heat transfer science to aerospace systems hardware. The successful candidate will lead a team of 10-20 heat transfer experts, integrate AI and advanced computational methods with rigorous experiments, and build strategic partnerships with government agencies, national laboratories, and academia. If you are passionate about the physics of heat transfer and energized by leading technical talent, this is your opportunity to make a lasting impact on the future of aerospace and propulsion.
Job Description
As the Technology Manager - Component Heat Transfer, you will lead the strategic direction, technical execution, and talent development of GE Aerospace Research's component heat transfer capability. You will own a research portfolio spanning cooling design for high temperature aerospace and propulsion components, heat transfer and storage solutions for complex aerospace systems, conjugate heat transfer modeling and simulation, and the heat transfer test and diagnostic capabilities that validate them. This is a hands-on leadership role requiring deep technical expertise, a bias towards action, and the ability to translate research insights into technologies that transform GE Aerospace's product portfolio.
In this role, you will partner closely with the Technology Director - AeroThermal Mechanical Systems (ATMS) to align heat transfer strategy with Research priorities and business needs. You will lead a diverse team of scientists and engineers advancing cooling and thermal design for high temperature components across aerospace and propulsion systems, from film, impingement, and internal convective cooling of turbine blades, vanes, shrouds, and combustor liners to component heat transfer and storage solutions for complex aerospace systems. Your scope includes computational methods, from conjugate heat transfer CFD on high-performance computing infrastructure to AI and machine learning surrogate models, and experimental capabilities including heat transfer rigs and advanced thermal diagnostics. You will work closely with combustion, aerodynamics, materials, and product design teams, and with external partners in academia, government agencies (DOW, NASA, FAA, ARPA-E, DARPA), U.S. DOE national laboratories, and industry.
The ideal candidate is a recognized technical leader in aerospace and propulsion heat transfer with a track record of driving innovation through both computation and experiment, and a proven ability to lead and develop high-performing technical teams. You bring strong connections to the heat transfer community through professional societies such as ASME or AIAA, and you are energized by integrating emerging AI methods into traditional thermal design workflows to unlock step-changes in productivity and accuracy.
Essential Responsibilities
As the Technology Manager - Component Heat Transfer, you are responsible for:
•Championing environmental, health, and safety (EHS) excellence and security compliance across all heat transfer research and test activities, ensuring compliance with GE Aerospace and regulatory standards, and fostering a culture where safety is the absolute foundation of all technical work.
•Leading a team of subject matter experts at various experience levels, including interns, technicians, and early through late career researchers, in cooling design for high temperature aerospace and propulsion components, heat transfer and storage solutions for complex aerospace systems, conjugate heat transfer, and heat transfer experimentation to deliver breakthrough technologies for GE Aerospace's commercial and defense aerospace and propulsion portfolios.
•Building a culture with a bias towards action and rigorous operational excellence: identifying and mitigating risks, supporting root cause and corrective action plans when necessary, and driving continuous improvement through standard work, key performance indicators, and process improvements.
•Defining and executing the technical roadmap for advanced cooling and thermal design technologies for high temperature components across aerospace and propulsion systems, including film, impingement, and internal convective cooling for turbine blades, vanes, shrouds, and combustor liners, and designs enabled by advanced manufacturing.
•Advancing component heat transfer and storage solutions for complex aerospace systems, including high-speed propulsion, in partnership with internal business partners, defense customers, and government research agencies, delivering cooled component, thermal storage, and thermal protection solutions.
•Partnering to advance conjugate heat transfer modeling and simulation capabilities using high-performance computing infrastructure (internal systems and national laboratory partnerships) and next-generation tools that integrate physics-based models with data-driven methods.
•Driving the application of artificial intelligence and machine learning, including surrogate models and design optimization, to heat transfer prediction, cooling design, and test data analysis to improve predictive accuracy and accelerate development cycles.
•Leading heat transfer test and diagnostic capabilities, including rig testing and measurement methods such as infrared thermography, transient liquid crystal, and pressure sensitive paint, that validate and inform model development.
•Building and sustaining strategic partnerships with academic institutions, government agencies (DOW, DARPA, NASA, FAA, ARPA-E), U.S. DOE national laboratories, and industry collaborators to co-develop technologies and access world-class facilities.
•Leading talent development for your team by coaching technical contributors on career paths, project management, and Lean principles, creating pathways for growth, and recruiting, hiring, and attracting diverse world-class heat transfer talent.
•Building and executing a portfolio of high-impact projects strategically aligned with GE Aerospace business priorities, securing work from both internal business partners and external sponsors, and delivering those projects with disciplined execution and measurable technical outcomes.
•Translating heat transfer research outcomes into actionable recommendations for GE Aerospace's business units, ensuring alignment between Research programs and product development needs.
•Representing GE Aerospace Research in the heat transfer community through technical publications, conference presentations, and professional society engagement to elevate GE Aerospace's technical reputation and attract top talent.
•Actively participating in the GE Aerospace Research people leadership community, helping build a culture of collaboration and innovation.
Required Qualifications
•Master's degree in Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or a related engineering discipline with a focus on heat transfer or thermal-fluid sciences.
•Minimum 12 years of professional experience in research, development, or engineering.
•Demonstrated technical leadership in aerospace technologies, including experience leading teams, projects, or technical initiatives that delivered measurable impact.
•Deep technical expertise in one or more of the following: cooling design for high temperature components, convective cooling, conjugate heat transfer, heat transfer CFD, experimental heat transfer, or heat transfer and storage solutions.
•Experience integrating computational modeling and experimental validation in heat transfer research programs.
•Proven ability to build and sustain technical partnerships with external organizations (government, academia, industry).
•Demonstrated ability to coach and mentor technical talent at all experience levels.
•Strong written and verbal communication skills, with experience presenting technical work to diverse audiences including senior executives, government sponsors, and technical peers.
•Demonstrated track record of championing safety, quality, compliance, and ethical conduct in technical work.
•Willingness to obtain and maintain an active U.S. Government Secret clearance; a prerequisite for a security clearance is U.S. citizenship.
•Must be willing to work out of an office located in Niskayuna, NY.
•Must be 18 years or older.
Desired Characteristics
•PhD in Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or a related engineering discipline with a focus on heat transfer or thermal-fluid sciences with a minimum of 8 years of professional experience in research, development, or engineering for aerospace and propulsion applications.
•Minimum 3 years of direct people leadership experience in a research or laboratory environment.
•Deep technical expertise in one or more of the following: cooling design for high temperature components (for example, turbine or combustor), film cooling, internal convective and impingement cooling.
•Active engagement in one or more professional societies (for example, ASME, including the Turbo Expo heat transfer committee, or AIAA), with demonstrated contributions such as committee membership, conference organization, or journal editorial roles.
•Expertise in applying artificial intelligence and machine learning methods to heat transfer modeling, cooling design optimization, or experimental data analysis.
•Experience with high-performance computing for large-scale conjugate heat transfer simulations, including high-fidelity methods such as LES.
•Technical depth in heat transfer diagnostics (for example infrared thermography, transient liquid crystal, pressure sensitive paint, and other optical measurement techniques).
•Track record of securing and leading high-impact, strategically aligned research projects from both internal business partners and external sponsors (for example, ARPA-E, DARPA, DOE, NASA, AFRL, NRL, FAA).
•Track record of technical publications in peer-reviewed journals and patents in heat transfer or cooling technologies.
•Demonstrated ability to translate fundamental heat transfer research into engineering solutions for product applications.
•Experience working in a matrixed organization and collaborating across functional boundaries.
•Strong bias towards action, with ability to drive results in ambiguous or rapidly changing environments.
Compensation and Benefits
The base pay range for this position is $130,000 - $240,000 USD USD Annually. The specific pay offered may be influenced by a variety of factors, including the candidate’s experience, education, and skill set. This position is also eligible for an annual discretionary bonus based on a percentage of your base salary/ commission based on the plan. This posting is expected to close on January 30th, 2027.
GE Aerospace offers comprehensive benefits and programs to support your health and, along with programs like HealthAhead, your physical, emotional, financial and social wellbeing. Healthcare benefits include medical, dental, vision, and prescription drug coverage; access to a Health Coach from GE Aerospace; and the Employee Assistance Program, which provides 24/7 confidential assessment, counseling and referral services. Retirement benefits include the GE Aerospace Retirement Savings Plan, a 401(k) savings plan with company matching contributions and company retirement