CAE Engineer

Decisive Point; Sunnyvale (CA); On-site; USD 140,000 - 190,000; Full time

Job summary

Applied Intuition, Inc. in Sunnyvale, California, seeks a CAE Engineer to build and own the hardware simulation capability behind vehicle programs.

You will define load cases, build the CAE process from the ground up, and lead external contractors to scale analysis across projects. You will work with mechanical design and validation teams to feed simulation into early design decisions and set design guidelines, while mentoring engineers and establishing technical standards for simulation quality

Qualifications

• BS/MS/PhD in Mechanical or Aerospace Engineering
• 7+ years of CAE/FEA experience in automotive, aerospace, defense or related fields
• Expertise with major FEA suites and preprocessors such as Abaqus, ANSYS, Nastran, LS-DYNA, OptiStruct; HyperMesh/ANSA

Responsibilities

• Define load profiles and analysis requirements (static, shock, vibration, durability/fatigue, thermal) from data and standards
• Build a scalable CAE analysis process
• Evaluate, select, and deploy CAE tools
• Scope and manage contractors and SOWs
• Perform and review structural, modal, fatigue, and thermal analyses
• Correlate simulation with physical test data
• Collaborate with design teams to feed simulation into design decisions
• Mentor engineers and set technical standards for simulation quality

Skills

Load case definition

Contractor management

Simulation validation

Mentoring engineers

Structural dynamics understanding

Education

BS/MS/PhD in Mechanical or Aerospace Engineering

7+ years CAE/FEA experience

Tools

Abaqus/ANSYS/Nastran/LS-DYNA/OptiStruct

HyperMesh/ANSA preprocessing

Job description

Applied Intuition, Inc. is powering the future of physical AI. Founded in 2017 and now valued at $15 billion, the Silicon Valley company is creating the digital infrastructure needed to bring intelligence to every moving machine on the planet. Applied Intuition services the automotive, defense, trucking, construction, mining and agriculture industries in three core areas: tools and infrastructure, operating systems, and autonomy. Eighteen of the top 20 global automakers, as well as the United States military and its allies, trust the company’s solutions to deliver physical intelligence. Applied Intuition is headquartered in Sunnyvale, California, with offices in Washington, D.C.; San Diego; Ft. Walton Beach, Florida; Ann Arbor, Michigan; London; Stuttgart; Munich; Stockholm; Bangalore; Seoul; and Tokyo. Learn more at applied.co.

We are an in-office company, and our expectation is that full-time employees primarily work from their Applied Intuition office 5 days a week. However, we also recognize the importance of flexibility and trust our employees to manage their schedules responsibly. This may include occasional remote work, starting the day with morning meetings from home before heading to the office, or leaving earlier when needed to accommodate family commitments. This in-office expectation does not apply to contractor positions

About the role

As a CAE Engineer, you will build and own the hardware simulation capability behind Applied Intuition's vehicle hardware programs. You will set how we analyze critical structures, sensor mounts, compute enclosures, and complex electro-mechanical assemblies, so that designs are validated virtually before they reach the test track or the road. You will define the load cases, build the CAE process from the ground up, help define the tools and infrastructure the team relies on, and lead external contractors to scale analysis across multiple projects.

At Applied Intuition, you will:

• Define load profiles and analysis requirements (static, shock, vibration, durability/fatigue, thermal) from vehicle usage data, road load data, customer requirements, and industry standards.

• Build a scalable analysis process

• Evaluate, select, and deploy CAE tools .

• Scope and manage contractors, including statements of work, schedules, technical reviews, and quality of deliverables.

• Perform and review structural, modal, random vibration, fatigue, and thermal analysis

• Correlate simulation results with physical test data, working closely with hardware validation and integration teams to refine models and test plans.

• Work with mechanical design, systems, and program teams to feed simulation into design decisions early and set design guidelines.

• Mentor engineers and set technical standards for simulation quality across the organization.

We're looking for someone who has:

• BS/MS/PhD in Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or a similar field

• 7+ years of CAE/FEA experience in automotive, commercial vehicle, aerospace, agriculture, construction, or defense

• Deep expertise with at least one major FEA suite (e.g., Abaqus, ANSYS, Nastran, LS-DYNA, OptiStruct) and pre-processors (e.g., HyperMesh, ANSA)

• Experience defining load cases and load profiles from requirements, standards, or measured data

• Experience managing external contractors or engineering service providers

• Strong grasp of structural dynamics, fatigue, and material behavior

• Strong understanding of correlating simulation to physical test results

Nice to have:

• Experience with durability/fatigue tools (e.g., nCode, FEMFAT) and road load data acquisition

• Experience with CFD or thermal simulation for electronics enclosures

• Scripting and automation for CAE workflows (Python, APDL, TCL)

• Experience setting up simulation data management or HPC environments

Don’t meet every single requirement? If you’re excited about this role but your past experience doesn’t align perfectly with every qualification in the job description, we encourage you to apply anyway. You may be just the right candidate for this or other roles.

Applied Intuition is an equal opportunity employer and federal contractor or subcontractor. Consequently, the parties agree that, as applicable, they will abide by the requirements of 41 CFR 60-1.4(a), 41 CFR 60-300.5(a) and 41 CFR 60-741.5(a) and that these laws are incorporated herein by reference. These regulations prohibit discrimination against qualified individuals based on their status as protected veterans or individuals with disabilities, and prohibit discrimination against all individuals based on their race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or national origin. These regulations require that covered prime contractors and subcontractors take affirmative action to employ and advance in employment individuals without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, protected veteran status or disability. The parties also agree that, as applicable, they will abide by the requirements of Executive Order 13496 (29 CFR Part 471, Appendix A to Subpart A), relating to the notice of employee rights under federal labor laws.

FOR US-BASED ROLES:

Applied Intuition is committed to providing an accessible and inclusive application and interview experience to applicants who are disabled veterans and other applicants with disabilities or medical conditions. Reasonable accommodations are available, requesting an accommodation will not affect your candidacy in any way, and you are not required to disclose the nature of your disability or medical condition in order to make a request. If you require an accommodation please contact [e-mail]. We will work with you!