R&D Engineer – Thermal Systems & Product Development (m/f/d)

About Cowa

Cowa Thermal Solutions develops highly compact thermal energy storage solutions enabling the replacement of fossil heating systems with heat pumps in space-constrained buildings. Our technology is based on patented, salt-based phase change materials (PCM) and is being commercialized together with leading HVAC OEM partners across Europe.

As Cowa moves from technology validation into commercialization and scale-up, we are strengthening our R&D team with a senior, hands-on engineer covering system engineering, applied R&D and product development.

Your Role

As R&D Engineer – Thermal Systems & Product Development, you will play a key role in shaping Cowa’s system-level technology and translating it into scalable, market-ready products. You will operate at the interface of R&D, system engineering and product development, while also contributing to publicly funded research projects and grant activities.

You will work closely with materials development, product management, testing and OEM partners and report directly to the CTO.

Your Responsibilities

R&D & System Engineering

• Design and optimize PCM-based thermal storage systems for heat pump applications (temperature levels, sizing, operating strategies)
• Perform thermodynamic modelling and system-level simulations
• Develop and optimize heat transfer and system integration concepts
• Translate system-level insights into clear technical requirements for product development
• Provide system-level input to the material development and validation

Product Development

• Actively contribute to product development from prototype to series-ready product
• Work closely with Product Management to align technical solutions with market and OEM requirements
• Support industrialization activities (design-to-cost, design-for-manufacturing, design-for-integration)

Testing, Validation & OEM Projects

• Define validation strategies and test requirements
• Closely collaborate with internal and external testing engineers on laboratory and field tests
• Analyze test and pilot results and translate findings into product and system improvements
• Provide technical support for OEM development projects and pilot installations

Research Projects & Grants

• Contribute to the definition, execution and reporting of publicly funded research and innovation projects
• Support grant applications and project proposals together with the CTO
• Coordinate technical work packages with academic and industrial partners
• Ensure alignment between research activities and Cowa’s product and technology roadmap

Your Profile

Required

• MSc or PhD in Mechanical Engineering, Energy Engineering, Thermal Engineering, Physics or similar
• Proven experience with heat pump systems and their integration into building energy systems
• Strong background in thermodynamics and heat transfer
• Experience with modelling and simulation tools (e.g. Matlab, Python, Modelica, COMSOL or similar)
• Experience in applied R&D and product-oriented engineering
• Structured, independent and solution-oriented working style
• Strong communication skills for collaboration with internal teams and external partners

Nice to Have

• Industry experience in HVAC, energy systems or thermal storage
• Experience with publicly funded research projects and grant management
• Exposure to product industrialization and OEM collaboration
• Experience working with academic institutions or research centers

What We Offer

• A key technical role in a deep-tech company entering commercialization and scale-up
• High level of ownership and direct influence on technology and products
• Close collaboration with world-class chemists, engineers and leading HVAC OEMs
• Involvement in industrial and publicly funded research projects
• Flat hierarchy, short decision paths and strong technical focus
• Competitive compensation and flexible working conditions