Simulation Engineer - Mechanical & Thermal Systems

Microsoft • Redmond, WA

12d • $119,800 - $261,000

About The Position

At Microsoft Quantum, the team works at the intersection of high-performance computing, artificial intelligence, and quantum information technology to develop advanced computing platforms. The Cryomechanical team designs, integrates, and sustains cryogenic mechanical systems, packaging solutions, and laboratory infrastructure that support reliable experimentation, scalable system integration, and the transition from research concepts to producible hardware.

The Simulation Engineer leads mechanical, structural, thermal, and coupled multiphysics analysis for cryogenic hardware and laboratory systems using COMSOL Multiphysics and ANSYS. The role translates system requirements and design concepts into verified computational models, quantifies margins and sensitivities, correlates predictions with test data, and provides engineering recommendations to guide architecture, detailed design, manufacturing, integration, and root-cause investigations across the product lifecycle. The engineer is expected to model Microsoft’s growth mindset, customer obsession, diversity and inclusion, collaboration, and commitment to making a difference through technology.

Requirements

• Doctorate in Physics, Engineering, or a related field and at least 1 year of industry or research and development experience, including postdoctoral research; or a master’s degree in one of these fields and at least 4 years of such experience; or a bachelor’s degree and at least 6 years of such experience; or equivalent experience.
• Ability to meet Microsoft, customer, and/or government security screening requirements, including the Microsoft Cloud Background Check upon hire or transfer and every two years thereafter.
• Ability to provide citizenship, U.S. permanent residency, or other protected-status documentation for export-control eligibility assessment; citizenship will be verified with a valid passport, with other applicable documents accepted for lawful permanent residents, refugees, and asylees.
• 3+ years performing mechanical, structural, thermal, or coupled multiphysics simulation for complex hardware systems, ideally from cryogenic through ambient-temperature operation.
• 3+ years of advanced ANSYS Mechanical and COMSOL Multiphysics experience for steady-state and transient thermal analysis, nonlinear structural analysis, contact, modal response, vibration, and coupled thermo-mechanical simulation.
• Experience modeling cryogenic systems and low-temperature hardware, including temperature-dependent material properties, thermal contraction, thermal contact conductance, conductive and radiative heat transfer, heat-load budgets, and thermal anchoring.
• Experience correlating simulation predictions with test data from temperature sensors, strain or displacement measurements, vibration data, or other instrumentation, and improving model fidelity based on discrepancies.
• Experience with parametric studies, design optimization, uncertainty quantification, surrogate modeling, or automation using MATLAB, Python, APDL, Java, or comparable scripting and application interfaces.
• Experience with CAD and product-development toolchains, including geometry preparation, defeaturing, material and configuration control, and collaboration with design, manufacturing, test, and supplier teams.
• Experience contributing to inclusive, cross-disciplinary engineering teams, communicating decisions clearly, inviting diverse perspectives, mentoring others in simulation practices, and helping team members contribute effectively.
• Advanced experience with COMSOL Multiphysics and/or ANSYS Mechanical, including independent model setup, solution, convergence assessment, results interpretation, and technical documentation for mechanical and thermal systems.
• Strong foundation in finite element analysis and engineering mechanics, including solid mechanics, heat transfer, materials behavior, numerical methods, contact, and coupled thermal-structural response.
• Demonstrated model-verification discipline, including mesh-independence studies, sensitivity analysis, analytical checks, appropriate simplification, and transparent documentation of assumptions and limitations.
• Ability to lead design reviews and communicate technical findings by turning complex simulation results into actionable recommendations, requirements, risk assessments, and decisions for cross-disciplinary teams.
• Ability to use AI tools to improve innovation and efficiency, including simulation workflow automation, reduced-order modeling, optimization, research synthesis, results analysis, and task automation.
• Ability to work in an AI-first environment using modern AI tools to accelerate model development, engineering insight, and hardware design iteration.

Nice To Haves

• Doctorate in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or a related field and 3+ years of technical engineering experience; or a master’s degree in one of these fields and 6+ years; or a bachelor’s degree and 8+ years; or equivalent experience.
• Experience with cryogenic hardware and complex systems spanning cryogenic through ambient-temperature operation.
• Experience using MATLAB, Python, APDL, Java, or comparable tools for simulation automation, optimization, parametric analysis, uncertainty quantification, or surrogate modeling.
• Experience mentoring others in simulation practices and helping foster an inclusive cross-disciplinary engineering environment.

Responsibilities

• Own end-to-end mechanical and thermal analysis for cryogenic subassemblies and top-level integrations, including mK, 4 K, and ambient-temperature structures, radiation shields, vacuum interfaces, thermal straps, supports, and cable or harness routing hardware.
• Develop and maintain high-fidelity finite element and multiphysics models in COMSOL Multiphysics and ANSYS Mechanical, including geometry idealization, material models, contacts, interfaces, meshing, loads, boundary conditions, solver controls, and post-processing.
• Perform structural, thermal, and coupled thermo-mechanical analyses, including stress, stiffness, deflection, buckling, modal and vibration response, steady-state and transient heat transfer, thermal contact resistance, radiation, and thermal stress from CTE mismatch.
• Translate system and subsystem requirements into analysis plans and acceptance criteria covering heat-load budgets, temperature stability, thermal anchoring, structural margins, alignment, vacuum loading, vibration isolation, interface loads, and performance across temperature stages.
• Verify, validate, and correlate simulation results using mesh-convergence studies, sensitivity and uncertainty analyses, hand calculations, analytical benchmarks, and comparisons with instrumentation, prototype, and system-level test data.
• Present assumptions, methods, limitations, margins, risks, and recommendations at design reviews, and collaborate with mechanical designers, thermal engineers, physicists, electrical engineers, manufacturing teams, and suppliers to resolve issues and improve designs.
• Create reusable simulation resources and workflows, including model templates, material-property libraries, documented workflows, review checklists, and automation for parametric studies and results processing; support root-cause investigations.
• Embody Microsoft’s Culture and Values.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level