Senior Vehicle CAE Durability Engineer

Position: Senior Vehicle CAE Durability Engineer

Sector: Body, Structures & Chassis

Location: Troy Michigan, USA

*Applicants MUST have proof of immediate, on-going and valid eligibility to work full time in the United States*

About the company

My client is an innovative American automotive manufacturer focused on redefining affordable electric mobility. They are developing a new generation of purpose-built electric vehicles with an emphasis on simplicity, modular design, and customer customisation.

They are looking for a Senior Vehicle CAE Durability Engineer to join their expanding team on a Contract basis. The role will be located in Troy Michigan, USA.

Essential Criteria:

• Our Client is looking for an experienced, strategic Senior Vehicle CAE Durability Engineer (Contract) to join their growing team.
• This position will lead NVH, durability, strength, and stiffness simulations to drive the development and optimization of EV body, chassis, and closure structures.
• As a technical authority, this role will mentor engineers, define simulation methodologies, and shape the CAE direction of the program in a dynamic, startup-paced environment.

What You Get To Do:

• The Senior Vehicle CAE Durability Engineer will lead and own CAE simulation activities and design evaluation across the program.
• Key responsibilities include:
• Lead durability, strength, and stiffness analysis for BIW, HV Battery structure, Trimmed Body, and full vehicle structures using nCode DesignLife and Optistruct; assess and guide design performance.
• Build, run, and debug full vehicle durability models using pre-processing tools such as ANSA and HyperMesh; maintain model quality and integrity.
• Post-process durability and stiffness simulation results using nCode / HyperWorks; analyse findings and recommend design improvements.
• Perform multiple full vehicle durability simulation iterations to identify optimized solutions and meet vehicle-level performance targets.
• Support component and vehicle testing activities; correlate CAE results with test data including RLDA and 4-poster test programs.
• Apply advanced engineering methods such as DOE/DFSS and Optistruct optimization tools to improve design performance.
• Prepare and present technical reports summarizing simulation results, findings, and achieved improvements.
• Communicate and collaborate with the design team, manufacturing team, and suppliers to achieve desired vehicle performance.

Skills & Attributes:

• Solid foundation in mechanical engineering principles and their application to product development.
• Ability to work independently from start to finish and as part of a cross-functional team.
• Strong oral and written communication skills with the ability to present technical findings clearly.
• Acts as a team player and problem solver in a fast-moving organization.

Education:

• Bachelor of Science Degree in Mechanical or Aerospace Engineering, or equivalent, from an ABET-accredited or equivalent program.
• Master's degree is a plus.

Experience:

• 8 years of automotive structures CAE experience, with 8 years of direct experience performing full vehicle durability analysis.
• Experience with nCode, Optistruct / NASTRAN, ANSA, and HyperWorks.
• Experience performing random vibration analysis.
• Experience generating and validating block cycle schedules for component-level fatigue testing.
• Experience planning RLDA and 4-poster test programs.
• Experience with correlation of CAE and test results.
• Hands-on experience with optimization tools and techniques using Optistruct.
• Knowledge of applying engineering fundamentals in product development.
• Experience with electric propulsion systems is desirable, including structural CAE for battery enclosures and high-voltage pack integration.

Work Authorization Requirement:

• Applicants must be authorized to work in the United States on a permanent basis.
• Our Client is unable to offer visa sponsorship at this time.

Why work through Contechs?

Contechs is a strategic partner to the automotive industry, providing innovative design and engineering services to global OEMs, from concept to production.

We are an equal opportunity employer and do not discriminate based on race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy), sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, or veteran status.

Employment is at will and may be terminated by either party at any time.

We provide reasonable accommodations for qualified individuals with disabilities. Please contact us if you need assistance in the application process

How to Apply

If you're interested in applying for this position, submit your application and one of our recruiters will be in touch.

If you know anyone that is suitable for the role, please visit the below page where we offer up to $750 referral fee: https://www.contechs.com/refer