Thermodynamics Engineer

Cooling is crucial for a rally car, as effective thermal performance can determine whether the vehicle reaches the finish line or drops out of the race. During competition, the car must operate under extreme conditions. As a thermodynamics engineer, you play a vital role in ensuring the car can endure these challenges. 

Your responsibilities include designing and optimising cooling systems for critical components such as the engine and battery, while also ensuring driver safety. Using principles of thermodynamics, materials science, and computational fluid dynamics (CFD), you will turn theory into practical solutions. You will collaborate closely with other members of the technical team as the cooling system interfaces with various components, each with changing requirements. You will see your designs progress from concept to testing and eventually onto the rally car itself. 

This role offers a unique opportunity to apply your knowledge in a hands-on environment and significantly contribute to the performance and reliability of a rally car.


The experience of Natasja

I am Natasja Seffinga, and in 2025, I was the Research and Development engineer for Solar Team Twente. This function is a bit different compared to a thermodynamics engineer, but I think there are quite a few similarities. 

I joined the team after my first year of my master’s in Mechanical Engineering because I wanted more hands-on experience. As an R&D engineer, I had a lot of freedom in how I approached my work, which was a lot of fun but also pretty challenging. This kind of freedom will be part of the thermodynamics engineer role too, since it's a brand-new position.

I took on the challenge of researching exciting innovations for our solar car. During the concept and design phases, I ended up taking on more responsibilities. 

I got to work closely with everyone in the technical team and tackled projects related to the mechanical, structural, and aerodynamic sides of the car. Over just a year, I learned so much and gained tons of hands-on experience. 

It was super satisfying to see both my ideas and those of the team become a reality in the solar car. The best moment was watching the carbon body of the car come out of the mould after all those months of hard work. 

The race was the highlight of my year. Competing with the best in the world and finishing in second place was incredible. Plus, doing it all with a team of really motivated students who pushed through every challenge made it even better. It was an awesome year filled with amazing memories that I wouldn’t trade for anything.