Computational Mechanics Scientist (Structural Solver)

Flexcompute, inc.; Massachusetts; On-site; USD 100,000 - 130,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive salary

Comprehensive Medical, Dental, and Vision insurance

401(k)

Gym/fitness allowance

Job summary

A leading physics intelligence firm in Massachusetts is looking for a skilled engineer with a Ph.D. in Applied Mechanics or Physics to develop advanced simulation solvers. The role includes deriving governing equations and formulating numerical strategies while collaborating with expert teams. Candidates should demonstrate a solid programming background and deep physics intuition. The company offers competitive compensation, equity, and comprehensive health benefits in a flat organizational structure where innovative ideas prevail.

Qualifications

• Deep understanding of continuum mechanics and predict structural behavior.
• Theoretical mastery of numerical PDEs and code efficiency.
• Ability to solve non-trivial problems with innovative solutions.

Responsibilities

• Derive governing equations for structural mechanics.
• Design the core numerical framework optimizing discretization strategies.
• Write clean and efficient algorithms for large-scale systems.

Skills

Strong General Programming

Deep Physics Intuition

Advanced Numerical Analysis

First-Principles Thinking

Education

Ph.D. in Applied Mechanics, Physics, or related field

Tools

C++

Python

HPC

Job description

About Flexcompute

We are a “Physics Intelligence” company making hardware innovation as easy as software. Our solvers (Flow360, Tidy3D) are not just faster; they are effectively instant, reducing simulation times from days to minutes using massive GPU parallelism and proprietary algorithms.

• Intellectual Density:We maintain an exceptionally high talent bar. Our team of ~90 includes over 50 PhDs from MIT, Stanford, and top research labs. You will work alongside peers who will challenge your thinking and elevate your work daily.
• Impact:Our technology is currently used to design optical interconnects, 3D chiplets, quantum computing chips, eVTOL aircraft, and next-gen wind turbines. You are building the “math engine” that drives real-world engineering breakthroughs.
• Stability & Growth:We are a Series C stage company with significant funding, revenue-generating products, and a clear path to disrupting the $20B+ simulation market.

• Education:Ph.D. in Applied Mechanics, Physics, Applied Mathematics, or a related field.
• Deep Physics Intuition:You possess an intuitive grasp of continuum mechanics—elasticity, plasticity, contact mechanics, and wave propagation. You can predict how a structure should behave before the simulation runs.
• Advanced Numerical Analysis:You have a theoretical mastery of numerical PDEs. You can mathematically prove the consistency, stability, and convergence of a scheme. You understand the trade-offs between implicit/explicit integration and various spatial discretizations.
• Strong General Programming:Proficiency in at least one high-level language (C++, Python, Julia, Rust, or Fortran) with a focus on algorithmic efficiency. You understand data structures, computational complexity (Big O), and how to write maintainable research code.
• First-Principles Thinking:Demonstrated ability to solve novel problems where no textbook solution exists.

Preferred (But Not Required)

• Interest in learning High-Performance Computing (HPC) and GPU architecture.
• Experience with C++ for scientific computing.
• Exposure to multi-physics coupling (fluid-structure interaction, thermal-stress).

Key Responsibilities

• Solver Formulation:Derive and implement governing equations for structural mechanics, ensuring thermodynamic consistency and physical accuracy across linear and non-linear regimes.
• Numerical Architecture:Design the core numerical framework. You will determine the optimal discretization strategies (FEM, DG, IGA, etc.) to balance stability, accuracy, and computational cost.
• Algorithmic Development:Specific language is secondary to code quality. You will write clean, modular, and efficient algorithms to solve large-scale systems of equations.
• Physics-Driven Validation:Diagnose solver behavior not just as code execution, but as physical modeling. You must distinguish between numerical instability and physical phenomena.

• Collaborative Autonomy:We operate with high trust. You own your module, but you have immediate access to world-class experts in electromagnetics and fluid dynamics for cross-domain problems.
• Continuous Learning:We host regular internal seminars where team members teach each other—from “Advanced Linear Algebra” to “GPU Memory Hierarchies.”
• Compensation:Competitive salary + meaningful equity in a fast-growing startup.
• Well-being:Comprehensive Medical, Dental, and Vision insurance; 401(k); and a gym/fitness allowance.
• Environment:A flat hierarchy where the “best idea wins,” regardless of job title.