FEA Simulation Engineer

Mitsubishi Chemical Group•Commerce Charter Township, MI

1d•$95,300 - $119,100

About The Position

The FEA / Simulation Engineer develops and applies advanced engineering models to predict the structural performance, durability, and failure behavior of polymer, fiber-reinforced polymer, carbon composite, and metallic components. The role turns customer and internal design requirements into simulation plans, performs linear and nonlinear finite element analyses, correlates models with physical testing, and translates results into practical design and manufacturing recommendations. The engineer helps expand simulation capability for anisotropic, short-fiber, and discontinuous-fiber structures, including workflows connecting material behavior, fiber orientation, process history, and structural response. The role also supports evaluating and adopting engineering software, automation, artificial intelligence, machine learning, generative design, and other digital tools to improve analysis quality, speed, repeatability, and engineering decisions. Injection molding simulation or practical injection molding experience is beneficial but not required; the engineer must be willing and able to learn relevant platforms as business and technical needs evolve. The position may support multiple sites, global teams, customer programs, laboratories, and manufacturing operations. Limited travel may be required based on project needs.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, Engineering Mechanics, or a closely related technical field.
At least 3 years of applied FEA, modeling, and simulation experience; relevant graduate research may be considered as part of overall experience.
Proficiency with at least one commercial FEA platform capable of linear and nonlinear structural analysis, such as ANSYS Mechanical, Abaqus, or a comparable system.
Experience building, troubleshooting, verifying, and documenting structural models and communicating results to technical stakeholders.
Working knowledge of polymer, composite, or anisotropic material modeling and associated failure behavior.
Ability and willingness to learn Moldex3D, Autodesk Moldflow, and other advanced simulation, AI-assisted, and generative engineering software as assigned.
Ability to work effectively in a collaborative, cross-functional environment and prioritize and complete technical projects.
Strong working knowledge of finite element methods, model idealization, meshing, boundary conditions, loads, contacts, material models, convergence, verification, and interpretation of results.
Sound understanding of solid mechanics, strength of materials, failure theories, and the mechanical behavior of polymers, composites, and metals.
Knowledge of laminate theory and composite failure criteria is required for composite-focused work.
Ability to solve and troubleshoot nonlinear problems involving contact, friction, large deformation, nonlinear geometry, and nonlinear material behavior.
Ability to define test needs, correlate models to data, recognize uncertainty, challenge assumptions, and distinguish numerical output from defensible engineering conclusions.
Ability to communicate technical results clearly in written reports and presentations and collaborate with design, materials, testing, manufacturing, commercial, supplier, and customer teams.
Ability to prioritize work, manage multiple technical assignments, document decisions, and drive analysis tasks to timely completion.

Nice To Haves

Master's degree in Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, Engineering Mechanics, or a related field.
Advanced experience modeling laminated, continuous-fiber, short-fiber, or discontinuous-fiber composite structures.
Experience mapping manufacturing-process results, including fiber orientation or residual effects, into structural FEA.
Familiarity with Moldex3D, Autodesk Moldflow, or comparable injection molding simulation software.
Practical knowledge of injection molding, compression molding, extrusion, composite molding, or related polymer manufacturing processes.
Experience with CAD tools such as SolidWorks, Siemens NX, or comparable platforms.
Familiarity with optimization, AI/ML, generative design, reduced-order modeling, surrogate modeling, or engineering data analytics.
Experience defining mechanical testing and correlating test results with analytical predictions.
Experience supporting OEM customers or converting metallic components to polymer or composite designs.

Responsibilities

Plan, build, execute, and document finite element analyses for polymer, composite, and metallic components using customer-derived and internally defined load cases.
Create linear and nonlinear static models, including material and geometric nonlinearity, large deformation, contact, friction, preload, and boundary-condition sensitivity as appropriate.
Assess stress, strain, deformation, stiffness, stability, fatigue, life, and likely failure locations using methods appropriate to the material, geometry, and application.
Apply composite laminate theory, anisotropic material definitions, ply-level results, and suitable composite failure criteria to evaluate laminated structures.
Develop methods for short-fiber and discontinuous-fiber structures, including mapped orientation and spatially varying material properties when supported by process data.
Evaluate mesh quality, convergence, assumptions, simplifications, and uncertainty; conduct sensitivity studies and identify model limitations.
Optimize designs for weight, strength, life, manufacturability, dimensional performance, and other functional requirements.
Define test requirements for establishing loads, material inputs, boundary conditions, and model validation data.
Partner with laboratory, design, manufacturing, and external testing resources to correlate analytical predictions with physical test results.
Perform or support failure analysis to identify stress concentrations, load-path issues, local instabilities, contact problems, and material- or design-related failure modes.
Refine models based on test evidence and document correlation quality, residual uncertainty, and recommended next steps.
Develop reusable modeling practices, material cards, validation approaches, and engineering standards.
Collaborate with design engineers to evaluate concepts, compare alternatives, and recommend geometry, material, tolerance, interface, and load-path improvements.
Support conversion of metallic designs to polymer or composite solutions by assessing performance tradeoffs and identifying needed design changes.
Use simulation early in development to reduce technical risk, guide prototypes, focus physical testing, and accelerate design iterations.
Provide actionable recommendations that connect technical findings to customer requirements, manufacturability, cost, schedule, and commercialization risk.
Participate in design reviews, project reviews, customer discussions, and technical problem-solving sessions.
Where qualified, use process simulation or manufacturing knowledge to evaluate how molding conditions, fiber orientation, weld lines, shrinkage, warpage, residual stress, and other process effects influence structural performance.
Learn and become proficient with Moldex3D, Moldflow, or comparable process-simulation platforms when required, including workflows that transfer process results into structural analysis.
Work with manufacturing and materials teams to understand process conditions and ensure simulation assumptions reflect how components are produced.
Evaluate and adopt engineering software and digital workflows that expand simulation capability or improve analysis speed, quality, traceability, and repeatability.
Participate in developing connected workflows among CAD, process simulation, material models, structural analysis, testing data, and engineering knowledge systems.
Validate AI-generated or automated outputs using engineering judgment and documented checks before using results for technical decisions.
Prepare analysis plans, calculation packages, technical reports, design recommendations, and presentations that communicate methods, assumptions, results, risks, and conclusions.
Present technical findings to engineering, manufacturing, commercial, leadership, customer, and supplier audiences at an appropriate level of detail.
Manage assigned analysis activities to agreed scope, schedule, and quality expectations, communicating risks and resource needs early.
Work effectively across global and cross-functional teams and protect confidential information and intellectual property.
Contribute to capability roadmaps, software evaluations, licensing recommendations, training, templates, methods development, and continuous improvement of the simulation function.
Incorporate safety, quality, and applicable regulatory considerations into modeling, design recommendations, test planning, and technical reviews.
Follow company procedures for engineering documentation, data management, software use, model review, and technical approval.
Support safe laboratory and test activities and identify analysis-related risks affecting personnel, equipment, product performance, or customer use.