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Registration: 26.04.2026

Nikola Vranjic

Specialization: Lead Thermal Systems and CFD Engineer
— Mechanical engineer with over 11 years of experience in thermal-fluid analysis and simulation for advanced energy and aerospace systems, focusing on high-performance thermal management. — Expertise in heat transfer, computational fluid dynamics, conjugate heat transfer, cooling system design, aerodynamic analysis, and first-principles-based thermal modelling. — Proven track record in developing and validating numerical and analytical models to predict temperature fields, heat loads, and thermal transients under demanding operational conditions. — Strong experience in supporting design decisions, verification and validation, and cross-disciplinary integration. — Drives robust engineering solutions from concept through validation. — Experienced in team leadership and managing customer expectations.
— Mechanical engineer with over 11 years of experience in thermal-fluid analysis and simulation for advanced energy and aerospace systems, focusing on high-performance thermal management. — Expertise in heat transfer, computational fluid dynamics, conjugate heat transfer, cooling system design, aerodynamic analysis, and first-principles-based thermal modelling. — Proven track record in developing and validating numerical and analytical models to predict temperature fields, heat loads, and thermal transients under demanding operational conditions. — Strong experience in supporting design decisions, verification and validation, and cross-disciplinary integration. — Drives robust engineering solutions from concept through validation. — Experienced in team leadership and managing customer expectations.

Skills

Thermodynamics
Heat transfer
Fluid dynamics
Computational Fluid Dynamics
Aerothermal
Cooling
Gas Turbines
EV
eVTOL
Phase change

Work experience

Thermal Engineer
07.2021 - 11.2024 |Lilium
eVTOL, Star-CCM+, DO 160
● Thermal analysis: hand calculations, 1d, 3d cfd, cht, multiphysics, multi-fidelity coupling. ● System-level thermal and v&v strategy, do 160 support. ● Thermal requirements capturing and validation support, thermal interfaces definition and ownership. ● Propulsion system cooling development and aerothermal integration of propulsion electric motor and propulsion vectoring systems (pvs). ● Conceptual studies and trade-offs for electric motor system cooling concept. ● Test requests, instrumentation, test planning, and test support. ● Thermal validation on open bench servo and servo control units. ● Released 3 technical design specification documents and multiple engineering notes. ● Liaised with equipment suppliers, managed thermal interfaces, deliverables status tracking, and quality assurance of delivered work.
Thermal Team Lead / CFD Engineer
04.2018 - 07.2021 |Rimac Automobili
Electric Vehicle (EV) OEM and Tier 1 supplier for Porsche, Hyudai, BMW, Ferrari, Koenigsegg, etc.
● Increased team from 2 to 10 people, established processes and methods, distributed tasks. ● Led cfd team and 1d thermal team. ● Aerodynamic and thermal modelling: cfd, conjugate heat transfer, fem, 1d, correlations. ● Thermo-mechanical and thermo-electrical coupling. ● Cooling concept design. ● Feasibility studies for internal and external customers, managed expectations. ● Electric powertrain (em, inverter, gearbox) cooling and lubrication. ● Ev battery and power electronics cooling. ● Directly supported the development of rimac nevera, porsche, hyundai, koenigsegg, and other established oems electrifying their vehicles through calculations and by leading thermal teams.
Gas Turbine Combustor Cooling Engineer / Component Engineer
12.2014 - 04.2018 |General Electric
Gas turbines, CFD, ANSYS Fluent, ICEM
● Aerodynamic and thermal modelling: cfd, cht, fem, 1d. ● Hot path component cooling design (2 patents, 1 lead inventor). ● Key achievement: lead inventor of patented 3d printed burner front plate (gt13 e2 mxL2, aev burner), resulting in increased efficiency, decreased manufacturing cost, and reduced pollution. ● Second inventor on gt26 second stage helmholtz damper near-wall channel cooling – 3d printed. ● Additive manufacturing (3d printing) design for combustor and turbine (gt13 e2, 7fa.05). ● Test definition and test rig data evaluation (gt36, gt26 he). ● Supported 9ha.02, 7fa.05, gt36, gt26, gt13 (inlet, combustor cooling, turbine cooling, diffuser aerodynamics and thermal stress analysis). ● Advanced cooling concepts and thermal barrier coating (tbc) development (technology pillar). ● Expert development workshop keynote speaker.
Lead Thermal Engineer / Director
since 01.2022 - Till the present day |ThermIT
Electronics, Biotech, Power , Energy , Aerospace
● High power density cooling expertise (aerospace, energy, power, ev, biotech, electronics). ● Cooling system concept and v&v strategy. ● Human organ cryo-preservation solutions (pcm system concept and validation). ● Thermal simulations: cfd, cht, fem, 1d, latent heat, hand calculations. ● Thermal system engineer and thermal system advisor (lilium, x-thermo, famena).

Educational background

Mechanical Engineering (Masters Degree)
2011 - 2015
University of Zagreb

Languages

EnglishProficientGermanElementaryCroatianNative