Simulation Engineer - Entry Level
About The Position
Pratt Miller is a product development company in motorsports, defense, and mobility industries providing clients with product engineering and low-volume production solutions. Our range of research & development, engineering, prototype manufacturing, test & validation, and low-rate production capability help our customers bring their high-quality products to market faster. The Motorsports Simulation Engineer will help develop and maintain leading-edge vehicle simulation and analysis products, including Dymola-based multi-body modeling libraries, vehicle and subsystem models for desktop and XiL applications, simulation workflows for tool chain integration, and general vehicle dynamics analysis capabilities. In addition to supporting Pratt Miller customers, this role will place a particular emphasis on NASCAR programs — developing, integrating, and validating models within Pratt Miller’s vehicle configuration tools, correlating simulation results with physical test data, and preparing models for Driver-in-the-Loop (DiL) environments to ensure accurate, real-time performance.
Requirements
- BS, MS, or PhD in Mechanical or Automotive Engineering
- Academic experience in automotive engineering and simulation (motorsports preferred)
- Strong background in vehicle dynamics, including suspension and tires
- Experience in the development and/or application of vehicle simulation toolsets
- Hands-on experience with multi-body modeling for motorsports or high-performance vehicles (Dymola/Modelica preferred)
- Experience with vehicle analysis methods and correlation to test data
- Vehicle development experience using full-vehicle simulation
- Familiarity with tire modeling approaches (e.g., Pacejka)
- Experience with Pi Toolbox, MoTeC i2, or similar race engineering software
- Programming fluency in MATLAB, Python, C++, C#, and/or other compiled languages
- Experience with structured software development practices
- Excellent analytical and problem-solving skills
- Ability to work independently and move projects forward with little direction
- Excellent interpersonal, verbal, and writing skills for communicating with other Pratt & Miller Engineering team members and clients
- Attention to detail
- Drive for quality
- Strong work ethic
- Team player
- Stress may occur periodically
- Long hours may be required at times
- Limited amounts of travel may be required
Nice To Haves
- Preferred background in vehicle dynamics
Responsibilities
- Develop and maintain vehicle and subsystem models, experiments, and analysis techniques to sustain a high level of quality and simulation expertise
- Develop and maintain the simulation workflow integrating the models with the broader Pratt Miller tool chain
- Lead or assist in development of simulation tools and utilities
- Interface with PME customers and internal programs to support PME Core Simulation products
- Provide vehicle dynamics and simulation subject matter expertise to internal engineers and customers
- Develop and refine NASCAR vehicle simulation models in Dymola/Modelica, ensuring compatibility with Pratt Miller’s broader tool chain
- Perform structured correlation work — comparing simulation outputs to on-track and rig test data — and use results to continually improve model fidelity
- Adapt and tune models for real-time applications to support immersive DiL sessions
- Provide test support during Driver-in-the-Loop sessions including test planning, execution, and reporting
- Troubleshoot simulation model solution or correlation issues and report modeling needs back to the development group
- Execute desktop simulations to support NASCAR vehicle development and tuning activities, analyzing results and composing clear reports
- Collaborate with cross-functional engineers to align model capabilities with program requirements and team feedback
- Attendance at Pratt & Miller meetings
- Education / training
- Provide feedback on product needs and processes
- Support Pratt Miller initiatives, marketing events, and general development as necessary
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Entry Level
Number of Employees
5,001-10,000 employees
