Senior Vehicle CAE Durability Engineer
Location: Troy, MI
Work Arrangement: On-site
Position Overview
We are seeking a Senior Vehicle CAE Durability Engineer with extensive experience in automotive structural durability, strength, stiffness, fatigue, and full-vehicle CAE analysis.
The ideal candidate will have strong hands-on experience with nCode/DesignLife, OptiStruct, NASTRAN, ANSA, HyperMesh/HyperWorks, and full-vehicle durability modeling. Experience with RLDA, 4-poster testing, random vibration, CAE-to-test correlation, and fatigue analysis is highly preferred.
This position will support vehicle structural durability development from CAE modeling and simulation through physical testing, correlation, optimization, and production.
Key Responsibilities
Perform full-vehicle durability, strength, stiffness, and fatigue analysis for automotive structures.
Develop and maintain full-vehicle durability CAE models and simulation methodologies.
Perform fatigue analysis using nCode / DesignLife and develop appropriate block-cycle loading methodologies.
Conduct random vibration analysis and evaluate vehicle structural durability performance.
Support RLDA and 4-poster test programs, including CAE preparation, test correlation, and durability assessment.
Perform CAE-to-test correlation and identify opportunities to improve simulation accuracy.
Conduct structural analysis of automotive BIW, chassis, closures, and full-vehicle structures.
Utilize OptiStruct / NASTRAN for structural analysis, optimization, and durability-related simulations.
Develop and process CAE models using ANSA, HyperMesh, and/or HyperWorks.
Support OptiStruct optimization, DOE, and DFSS activities.
Analyze simulation results, identify structural durability concerns, and provide engineering recommendations.
Work closely with test engineers, design engineers, DREs, suppliers, and cross-functional engineering teams.
Support development and validation of vehicle structures throughout the vehicle development lifecycle.
Contribute to durability methodology improvements and CAE process development.
Required Qualifications
8+ years of automotive structures CAE experience.
8+ years of full-vehicle durability analysis experience.
Strong hands-on experience with nCode / DesignLife.
Strong experience with OptiStruct and/or NASTRAN.
Experience with ANSA and/or HyperMesh / HyperWorks.
Strong experience with full-vehicle durability modeling and simulation.
Experience with random vibration analysis.
Experience supporting RLDA and 4-poster test programs.
Strong experience with CAE-to-test correlation.
Experience with fatigue analysis and block-cycle development.
Experience with OptiStruct optimization, DOE, and DFSS.
Automotive structural CAE experience involving one or more of the following:
BIW
Chassis
Closures
Full-vehicle structures
Strong understanding of vehicle durability, strength, stiffness, and fatigue principles.
Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering, Automotive Engineering, or a related engineering discipline.
Preferred Qualifications
Experience with EV / HV battery structural CAE.
Experience with electric vehicle structural durability development.
Experience correlating CAE results with physical durability testing.
Experience working directly with automotive OEMs or Tier 1 suppliers.
Experience supporting vehicle programs from early development through production.
