Senior FEA Engineer — Steel Structures (Remote/Hybrid)

Race Rock Group; United States; Hybrid; USD 120,000 - 170,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Bonus eligibility

Health insurance

401(k) with match

Paid time off

Professional development

Job summary

Race Rock Group is seeking a Senior Finite Element Analysis Engineer to lead the FEA function on the Engineered Structures team in Fort Worth and remote/hybrid settings. You will own models from initial analysis to final stress reports, establishing methods and standards for an expanding in-house team.

The role requires 10+ years of structural FEA experience with steel structures, strong codes knowledge (AISC, AWS D1.1, ASME), and proficiency in major FEA tools.

Qualifications

• BS in Mechanical, Civil/Structural, or Aerospace Engineering from ABET-accredited program.
• 10+ years of structural FEA and stress analysis experience.
• Expertise in gusset plates and welded connections.

Responsibilities

• Perform linear and nonlinear static structural analyses of utility steel poles, arms, base plates, and connections to evaluate stress, deflection, buckling, and overall structural integrity.
• Develop detailed FEA models of gusset plate connections and evaluate critical limit states, including yielding, block shear, local buckling, bearing, and fracture.
• Analyze and size welded connections (fillet, CJP, and PJP groove welds), including weld stress evaluation, fatigue assessment, and compliance with AWS D1.1 and AISC 360.
• Build, mesh, and validate models using ANSYS Mechanical, Abaqus, FEMAP/NX Nastran, or equivalent tools, applying appropriate boundary conditions, load cases, contact, and mesh convergence studies.
• Perform mechanical analyses as required, including fatigue, modal, buckling, and thermal-structural evaluations.
• Validate FEA results through hand calculations, closed-form solutions, and code checks per ASCE 48, ASCE 10, and NESC requirements.
• Prepare clear, well-documented stress reports and calculation packages for customer review, design verification, and engineering sign-off.
• Support design, drafting, and manufacturing teams with design optimization.
• Create, import, repair, idealize models for FEA pre-processing by utilizing 3D CAD software such as SolidWork, Inventor, Creo.
• Develop and maintain FEA modeling guidelines, analysis procedures, and best practices for the engineering department.
• Mentor junior engineers and perform peer reviews of models, calculations, and reports.

Skills

FEA analysis

Static analysis

Nonlinear analysis

Engineering judgment

Education

ABET-accredited BS in Mechanical/Civil/Structural/Aerospace

MS in Mechanical/Structural/Aerospace (preferred)

Tools

ANSYS

Abaqus

FEMAP/NX Nastran

SolidWorks

Inventor

Creo

Job description

Race Rock Group is seeking a Senior Finite Element Analysis Engineer to lead the FEA function on the Engineered Structures team in Fort Worth and remote/hybrid settings. You will own models from initial analysis to final stress reports, establishing methods and standards for an expanding in-house team.

The role requires 10+ years of structural FEA experience with steel structures, strong codes knowledge (AISC, AWS D1.1, ASME), and proficiency in major FEA tools.