Principal FEA Engineer

In this role, you will guide the team in performing static and dynamic structural analyses and collaborate with the validation team to develop validation tests. Your work will be pivotal in ensuring our products are both durable and reliable, meeting industry standards and customer requirements. You will also play a key role in training other engineers, fostering a culture of continuous improvement and collaboration.

Essential Functions:

• Directly support New Product Development (NPD) and Advanced Engineering projects with Finite Element Analysis of components and assemblies, with a focus on stress/strain evaluations.
• Guide the development and use of new simulation models and tools related to stress/strain evaluations to support NPD projects and Advanced Development activities.
• Mentor, train, and share FEA knowledge to increase the department’s overall capabilities.
• Consult with teams on loading and boundary conditions and verify through failure analysis.
• Recommend geometry or material changes for design robustness as well as weight, size, and cost optimizations.
• Conduct linear and non-linear static/dynamic analysis, modal analysis, frequency response, nonlinear buckling and fatigue analysis using beam, shell, and solid element models as appropriate.
• Collaborate with the validation team to design validation tests and compare results with analysis methods to enhance design.
• Regularly articulate complex simulations and their results in an easy-to-understand format with teammates, senior management, and executives.
• Use highly effective communication skills to quickly understand the depth of work required and provide trade-offs of accuracy versus time to complete analysis; articulate and prioritize time constraints where needed.
• Receive analysis requests from a variety of customers– must be strong in prioritization, timing, and scope discussions.
• Grow organizational capability through knowledge sharing and collaboration with own and other departments across business units as required.
• Ability to quickly grasp component and assembly functionality, determine load cases and constraints, and execute varied complexity levels of analysis depending on criticality and timing to New Product Development.
• Collaborate with Design Engineers on Finite Element Analysis methods/techniques to ensure proper setup and interpretation results.
• Ensure compliance with industry-accepted codes and standards.
• Research and implement new industry standards.

Please note this job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities and activities may change at any time with or without notice.

Required

Education:


Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering or a directly related field.

Required Experience:
You should have 10 years of experience in static and dynamic structural simulation and analysis. Your background should include proficiency in using ANSYS or similar simulation software, as well as engineering hand calculations. Experience in preparing and presenting detailed reports to management is crucial, along with a proven ability to train and mentor other engineers on new analysis methods and tools.

Knowledge/Skills/Abilities:

• Advanced proficiency in static and dynamic structural analysis techniques using beam, shell, and solid elements.
• In-depth knowledge of strength, fatigue, and buckling analysis.
• Significant experience using ANSYS and other common FEA software such as NASTRAN, Autodesk Simulation, Hypermesh, Abaqus, and nCode.
• Experience correlating FEA results with physical test results.
• Proficiency in using Mathcad for hand calculations.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Ability to train and mentor other engineers.
• Strong communication skills for effective collaboration with the engineering team.
• Familiarity with industry-accepted codes and standards.
• Experience in analyzing structures and systems of heavy duty off‑road machinery including construction equipment, agricultural equipment, port equipment, material handling equipment, cranes, and forklifts.

We foster a collaborative team environment that…