Lead FEA Structural Analysis Engineer – Onsite Huntsville

Socket.dev; Huntsville (OH); On-site; USD 110,000 - 170,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

401(k) matching

Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP)

Medical, vision, and dental insurance

Paid leave and family leave

Disability and life insurance

Job summary

CFD Research in Huntsville, AL seeks a seasoned structural engineer to lead the FEA team. You will oversee static and dynamic analyses, validate models with hand calculations, and mentor engineers while interfacing with customers and program managers.

The role requires 10+ years in FEA, strong Abaqus/LS-DYNA skills, and willingness to travel to the Hollywood Center for in-person reviews.

Qualifications

• 10+ years hands-on experience with FEA.
• 3+ years experience in team leadership, project leadership or technical mentorship.
• Deep understanding of linear static, dynamic, modal, fatigue, and buckling analyses.
• Proficiency in Abaqus and LS-DYNA.
• Demonstrated ability to perform classical hand calculations to validate FEA models.
• Solid grasp of isotropic and basic composite material behavior, yield criteria, and fracture mechanics basics.
• Knowledge of thermal-structural coupling.
• Experience reviewing structural test data to calibrate and validate finite element models.
• US Citizenship and eligibility to obtain and maintain a secret security clearance.

Responsibilities

• Lead a growing structural analysis team focusing on FEA-based assessments.
• Oversee static strength, dynamic impacts, vibrations, fatigue, and crack propagation analyses.
• Interface with program managers and SMEs; brief results to customers.
• Mentor and develop team members; conduct biannual performance reviews.
• Travel to CFD Research's Hollywood, AL Center for in-person meetings (about 3x/month).

Skills

FEA

Team leadership

Hand calculations

Material mechanics

Thermal-structural coupling

Test data review

Security clearance

Rotordynamics

Abaqus

LS-DYNA

Python

APDL

TCL/TK

C++

Education

Bachelor's Degree in Mechanical Engineering

Master's Degree in Mechanical Engineering

Tools

Abaqus

LS-DYNA

Python

APDL

TCL/TK

C++

Job description

CFD Research in Huntsville, AL seeks a seasoned structural engineer to lead the FEA team. You will oversee static and dynamic analyses, validate models with hand calculations, and mentor engineers while interfacing with customers and program managers.

The role requires 10+ years in FEA, strong Abaqus/LS-DYNA skills, and willingness to travel to the Hollywood Center for in-person reviews.