Occupant Safety CAE Engineer

Ford Racing; Allen Park, Northern (MI, KY); Hybrid; USD 99,000 - 166,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental, vision coverage

Flexible family care days

Parental leave

Vehicle discount program

Tuition assistance

Employee resource groups

Paid time off for community service

Job summary

Ford Motor Company in Michigan is seeking a Safety Engineer to generate occupant CAE models and support the launch of next-generation EV platforms. You will drive cross-functional collaboration, apply 1st principles, and optimize components for occupant safety across various crash modes.

You will work in a hybrid environment, participate in design reviews, and deliver high-quality CAE results through Start-of-Production, with salary grade 8 and a $99,100–$166,200 annual range.

Qualifications

• B.S. in Mechanical Engineering or equivalent combination of relevant education and experience.
• Strong engineering mechanics fundamentals
• Highly motivated and creative
• Strong technical skills and expertise in safety and simulation, coupled with a 1st principles approach to problem solving
• 5+ years of experience in occupant safety CAE
• 5+ years of experience in designing and launching new safety systems from concept to production
• Knowledge of global passive safety public domain and regulatory requirements

Responsibilities

• Work with Advanced Vehicle Crash Safety and Program Design teams to develop occupant CAE models in LS-Dyna for various crash modes.
• Collaborate with responsible D&Rs and associated component suppliers to ensure component CAE models are properly correlated and/or reasonable initial assumptions are being made.
• Where appropriate, conduct DOE/DFSS studies by utilizing optimization tools, to meet performance requirements within the constraints of conflicting attributes such cost and mass.
• Support quick concept development of new and emerging ideas.
• Assess the system level occupant performance for all relevant impact configurations.
• Optimize the performance of the relevant components needed to meet occupant performance targets (airbags, seat belts, steering column, seats, instrument panel, interior trim etc.)
• Collaborate with the safety structures team in case structural performance of the BIW does not allow meeting occupant performance targets.
• Support the creation of standard work procedures for delivering quality models and simulation results.
• Work in a cross-functional environment to identify and overcome technical challenges and meet requirements.
• Be a part of the vision of engineering excellence and a source of knowledge.
• Participate in design reviews and present design concepts. Make recommendations to improve and refine designs.
• Support the delivery of the occupant safety attribute with high quality CAE models during all program phases all the way through Start-of-Production.

Skills

Mechanical engineering

Safety CAE

First principles

Collaboration

Experience with occupant safety CAE

System design & launch

Education

B.S. in Mechanical Engineering

Tools

LS-DYNA

Job description

The Safety Engineer will generate occupant CAE models through multiple development stages.

You will also conceptualize, Design, Engineer, develop, and support the launch of next-generation vehicle platform architectures for electric vehicles.

You will use your skills in collaboration, systems engineering, FMA/design robustness, CAE and safety DV efficiency to develop world class efficient vehicle architectures for frontal, side, rear, pedestrian impact, roof strength and low speed damageability.

What you'll do...

• Work with Advanced Vehicle Crash Safety and Program Design teams to develop occupant CAE models in LS-Dyna for various crash modes.
• Collaborate with responsible D&Rs and associated component suppliers to ensure component CAE models are properly correlated and/or reasonable initial assumptions are being made.
• Where appropriate, conduct DOE/DFSS studies by utilizing optimization tools, to meet performance requirements within the constraints of conflicting attributes such cost and mass.
• Support quick concept development of new and emerging ideas.
• Assess the system level occupant performance for all relevant impact configurations.
• Optimize the performance of the relevant components needed to meet occupant performance targets (airbags, seat belts, steering column, seats, instrument panel, interior trim etc.)
• Collaborate with the safety structures team in case structural performance of the BIW does not allow meeting occupant performance targets.
• Support the creation of standard work procedures for delivering quality models and simulation results.
• Work in a cross-functional environment to identify and overcome technical challenges and meet requirements.
• Be a part of the vision of engineering excellence and a source of knowledge.
• Participate in design reviews and present design concepts. Make recommendations to improve and refine designs.
• Support the delivery of the occupant safety attribute with high quality CAE models during all program phases all the way through Start-of-Production.

You'll have...

• B.S. in Mechanical Engineering or equivalent combination of relevant education and experience.
• Strong engineering mechanics fundamentals
• Highly motivated and creative
• Strong technical skills and expertise in safety and simulation, coupled with a 1st principles approach to problem solving
• 5+ years of experience in occupant safety CAE
• 5+ years of experience in designing and launching new safety systems from concept to production
• Knowledge of global passive safety public domain and regulatory requirements

Even better, you may have...

• Non-linear finite element analysis and correlation capability.
• Program experience in analysis and testing.
• Ability to work independently and collaboratively as part of a diverse global team with good communication and interpersonal skills
• An eagerness to work cross-functionally in a dynamic environment where you are part of a high performing team
• Ability to thrive in an ambiguous, startup environment in which the team works extremely quickly and oftentimes with little direction.
• Comfortable presenting to executive leadership and clearly articulate significant engineering and material cost efficiencies.

You may not check every box, or your experience may look a little different from what we've outlined, but if you think you can bring value to Ford Motor Company, we encourage you to apply!

As an established global company, we offer the benefit of choice. You can choose what your Ford future will look like: will your story span the globe, or keep you close to home? Will your career be a deep dive into what you love, or a series of new teams and new skills? Will you be a leader, a changemaker, a technical expert, a culture builder…or all of the above? No matter what you choose, we offer a work life that works for you, including:

• Immediate medical, dental, vision and prescription drug coverage
• Flexible family care days, paid parental leave, new parent ramp-up programs, subsidized back-up child care and more
• Family building benefits including adoption and surrogacy expense reimbursement, fertility treatments, and more
• Vehicle discount program for employees and family members and management leases
• Tuition assistance
• Established and active employee resource groups
• Paid time off for individual and team community service
• A generous schedule of paid holidays, including the week between Christmas and New Year's Day
• Paid time off and the option to purchase additional vacation time.

This position is a salary grade 8 and ranges from $99,100-166,200

For more information on salary and benefits, click here: https://fordcareers.co/GSR

Visa sponsorship is available for this position.

Candidates for positions with Ford Motor Company must be legally authorized to work in the United States. Verification of employment eligibility will be required at the time of hire.

We are an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, religion, color, age, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability status or protected veteran status. In the United States, if you need a reasonable accommodation for the online application process due to a disability, please call 1-888-336-0660.

This position is hybrid. Candidates who are in commuting distance to a Ford hub location may be required to be onsite four or more days per week. #LI-Hybrid

#LI-MZ1 #UEV