Overview As a Simulation Engineer for Avionics, you own the simulation strategy for robust electronic hardware from concept to fleet deployment. You build and validate structural, thermal, and multi-physics models for avionics, compute modules, sensors, and power electronics. Your work informs architecture decisions, margins, and validation approaches before hardware is built. This role blends first-principles engineering with high fidelity simulation to accelerate design and field readiness, in a fast-growing, mission-driven setting.
Responsibilities- Own the simulation strategy for electronic modules and assemblies through concept, validation, production ramp, and field support.
- Develop structural finite element models for electronics housings, PCBs, brackets, connectors, and integrated modules.
- Perform static and dynamic analyses (including bolt preload, contact, modal, vibration, and fatigue) to assess durability.
- Create thermal simulations for electronics cooling and support cooling architecture development.
- Evaluate thermo-mechanical behavior from CTE mismatches and predict mechanical interactions under thermal cycling.
- Conduct coupled structural-thermal analyses and correlate with lab testing and field observations.
- Build simplified analytical models to verify assumptions and guide detailed modeling.
- Support design reviews by identifying mechanical, thermal, and reliability risks and working with suppliers to validate material properties and manufacturing assumptions.
- Investigate failures using simulation, testing data, and root-cause analysis to implement corrective actions.
Key requirements- Proven experience in structural and thermal simulation of complex electromechanical/electronic systems from concept to production.
- Strong fundamentals in structural mechanics, heat transfer, materials science, fatigue, vibration, and thermal expansion.
- Experience with linear and nonlinear finite element analyses (contact, bolt preload, large deformation, material nonlinearity).
- Experience with modal, harmonic, random vibration, shock, and fatigue analyses.
- Thermal modeling expertise for electronics cooling and thermal management (steady-state and transient).
- Understanding of thermo-mechanical behavior (CTE mismatch, preload retention, thermal stresses).
- Experience modeling complex assemblies with realistic contacts, fasteners, seals, and manufacturing variation.
- Proficiency with simulation tools such as Abaqus, ANSYS Mechanical, Siemens Simcenter 3D/Nastran, Altair OptiStruct, COMSOL.
- Programming or scripting in Python or MATLAB to automate models and analyses.
- Strong written and verbal communication for documenting assumptions, validation, and tradeoffs.
- Based in South San Francisco with hands-on lab work and travel as needed.
- clear communication
- cross-functional collaboration
- problem-solving
- structural finite element analysis
- thermal modeling and electronics cooling
- coupled thermo-mechanical analysis
