Blast Effects FEA Engineers

AWE; Reading; On-site; GBP 35,000 - 65,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading defense engineering company in the UK seeks a Blast Effects FEA Engineer to work within their Engineering Analysis Team. The role involves simulation of blast effects, communication of analysis results, and application of engineering principles to weapons-related projects. Candidates should possess a degree in Mechanical or Aerospace Engineering and be familiar with FEA and hydrocode tools. This position offers a competitive salary between £35,720 - £65,000 and opportunities for professional development and flexible working arrangements.

Benefits

270 hours of annual leave

Flexible working arrangements

Professional career development funding

Employee assistance programme

Defined contribution Group Personal Pension

Life Assurance

Discounts on everyday spending

Special Leave Policy

Relocation package available

Potential travel opportunities

Qualifications

• Degree level background in Mechanical or Aerospace Engineering or related discipline.
• Willingness to interact internationally and present at conferences.
• Experience in hydrocodes and commercial FEA tools is beneficial.

Responsibilities

• Simulation of blast and shock effects and assessment of structural responses.
• Communicating analysis results through clear reports and presentations.
• Applying model verification and validation techniques within quality assurance.

Skills

Mechanical or Aerospace Engineering background

Experience with hydrocodes

Knowledge of FEA codes

Experience with ANSYS, ABAQUS, LS-DYNA

Proficiency in Python scripting

Education

Degree in Mechanical or Aerospace Engineering or related discipline

Tools

ANSYS

Autodyn

Altair HyperMesh

Siemens Teamcenter

Job description

AWE currently have excellent opportunities for Blast Effects FEA Engineers

These roles sit within the Engineering Analysis Team. The team supports AWE's mission by providing a range of computational mechanics services to the business, such as finite element analysis (FEA), computational fluid dynamics (CFD), thermal and blast analysis. The team work on weapons-related projects which underpin continuous-at-sea-deterrence and contribute to the security of the nation.

Location: Aldermaston, West Berkshire. We are located between Basingstoke and Reading and have free onsite car parking.

Salary: £35,720 - £65,000 (depending on your skills, suitability and level of experience)

Closing date: 5th May 2024

The Role

The analysis projects you will work on are interesting and varied and may include:

• Simulation of large-scale and conventional blast and shock effects
• Assessment of structural response/damage
• Simulation of high-velocity impact
• Hydrocode modelling
• Explicit dynamic finite element analysis
• Multi physics coupling inc. FSI

In addition to day-to-day analysis tasks, other responsibilities may include:

• Communicating analysis results through production of clear, concise reports & presentations
• Applying model V&V techniques whilst adhering to quality assurance procedures
• Representing the wider business at national and international conferences

Who Are We Looking For?

We would like to hear from candidates with a degree level background in Mechanical or Aerospace Engineering or related discipline.

Candidates should be willing and able to interact with peers internationally including presenting at specialist conferences.

Experience in one or more of the following would be beneficial:

• Commercial/open source hydrocodes, e.g., Autodyn, ViperBlast, BlastFoam
• Commercial FEA codes, particularly ANSYS, ABAQUS and LS-DYNA
• Commercial pre-processors such as Altair HyperMesh and ANSYS Workbench
• Explosive detonation, blast propagation and resulting structural response
• Engineering calculations and empirical and semi-empirical analysis techniques (e.g., UFC 3-340-01, UFC 3-340-02)
• Material characterisation and calibration of material models and equations of state
• Testing techniques used to obtain mechanical material property data
• Experimentation for the acquisition of model validation data
• PLM and CAD systems - Siemens Teamcenter and NX are particularly desirable
• Linux based HPC systems and batch submission systems
• Use of Python scripting to automate models and analyse data

What Will You Get From Us?

As part of our People Promise, AWE (one of the best 25 big companies to work for in the UK) has a range of benefits to suit you. These include:

• Time to recharge your batteries with 270 hours of annual leave (plus every other Friday off work)
• Consideration for flexible working arrangements so that your work may fit in with your lifestyle. Just let us know on your application if you wish to work part time
• Opportunities for Professional Career Development that include funding for the annual membership of a relevant professional body, access to mentors and training
• Employee Assistance Programme and Occupational Health Services
• A generous defined contribution Group Personal Pension (we will pay between 9% and 13% of your pensionable pay depending on your own contribution)
• Life Assurance
• Discounts - access to savings on a wide range of everyday spending
• Special Leave Policy including paid time off for volunteering, public service (including reserve forces) and caring for your family
• A host of voluntary & core benefits to suit your health and wellbeing - more information available on our careers site
• Relocation package available (terms and conditions apply)
• Potential opportunities to travel with work for conferences and collaboration

Important things you need to know:

• You must be a UK national who has been resident in the UK for the past 10 years.
• Interviews will be 90 minutes in length and will be held over Microsoft Teams. You will be required to prepare a 10-minute presentation in advance.
• Candidates must be willing and able to obtain and maintain the necessary security clearance for the role. This will be funded by AWE.

Agencies: Please note that we do not out-source our recruitment