Powertrain FEA Engineer

Overview

Expleois a trusted partner for end-to-end, integrated engineering, quality services and management consulting for digital transformation. We help businesses harness unrelenting technological change to successfully deliver innovations that will help them gain a competitive advantage and improve the everyday lives of people around the globe.

We are seeking a Powertrain FEA Engineer to support the analysis, development, and optimisation of powertrain components within high-performance automotive programmes. The role focuses on the application of Finite Element Method (FEM) and Finite Element Analysis (FEA) to evaluate and enhance the structural, thermal, and dynamic performance of drivetrain systems.

Working closely with powertrain design engineers, system engineers, and validation teams, the successful candidate will use simulation tools to assess component durability, fatigue performance, and NVH characteristics before physical prototyping. This role plays a critical part in reducing development risk, improving efficiency, and ensuring components meet stringent performance, quality, and reliability targets.

The position offers the opportunity to contribute to the development of advanced propulsion technologies, including internal combustion powertrains, hybrid systems, and electrified drive trains.

• Simulation & Structure Analysis
  • Perform Finite Element Analysis (FEA) to evaluate stress, strain, deformation, and durability of powertrain components including engines, transmissions, gear systems, and electric drive units.
  • Conduct thermal and coupled Multiphysics simulations to analyse temperature effects on powertrain components and materials.
  • Analyse structural behaviour under operational loading conditions, ensuring components meet safety and performance requirements.
• Fatigue & Durability Assessment
  • Perform fatigue analysis to predict the service life of components subjected to cyclic loading, such as gears, shafts, and bearings.
  • Assess durability under real-world operating conditions to support design improvements and reliability targets.
• NVH & Dynamic Behaviour Analysis
  • Conduct modal and dynamic simulations to assess vibration characteristics, natural frequencies, and resonance behaviour of drivetrain systems.
  • Support NVH optimisation activities to improve vehicle refinement and reduce vibration transmission.
• Design Optimisation
  • Interpret simulation results to recommend design improvements and optimisation strategies.
  • Work with design engineers to improve strength-to-weight ratios, structural performance, and packaging efficiency.
  • Support light weighting initiatives while maintaining structural integrity and durability.
• Simulation Process Development
  • Develop and improve simulation workflows including pre-processing, solver configuration, and post-processing methods.
  • Support automation of simulation processes using scripting tools where appropriate.
• Cross-functional Engineering Collaboration
  • Work closely with design, validation, and manufacturing teams to ensure simulation results are incorporated into design decisions.
  • Provide technical input into design reviews, development meetings, and programme milestones.
• Documentation & Reporting
  • Prepare technical reports summarising simulation results, design recommendations, and validation evidence.

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Mechanical Engineering, Automotive Engineering, Mechatronics, or a related engineering discipline.
• Additional training or certification in FEA, structural simulation, or advanced mechanical analysis is advantageous.

• Strong expertise in Finite Element Method (FEM) and Finite Element Analysis (FEA).
• Proficiency with industry-standard FEA tools such as:
  • ANSYS Workbench
  • Altair Hyper Works
  • Abaqus
  • MSC Nastran or similar simulation software.
• Solid understanding of mechanics of materials, structural dynamics, and fatigue analysis.
• Experience conducting static, modal, thermal, and transient dynamic simulations.
• Ability to interpret complex simulation results and translate findings into design improvements.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving capabilities.
• Effective communication skills to collaborate with…