Senior Structural Engineer - Simulation

NextGenEnergyJobs; Portland (OR); On-site; USD 150,000 - 250,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Relocation assistance to Portland

Job summary

NextGenEnergyJobs in Portland, Oregon is seeking a Senior Structural Engineer - Simulation to architect digital tools for structural analysis, develop fast solvers, and validate designs.

You will bridge structural mechanics and high-performance computing, using Julia and Python to build reduced-order models, integrate them with high-fidelity FEA, and collaborate across Marine Ops, Manufacturing, and ME teams to optimize candidate devices.

Qualifications

• Undergraduate degree in Mechanical or Structural Engineering.
• 3+ years in roles with structural analysis and software/tooling development.
• Proficient in Julia and Python.
• Experience with Nastran and cloud compute environments.

Responsibilities

• Architect digital tools for structural analysis and HPC solvers.
• Lead development of Julia-based ROMs and pipelines to FEA.
• Validate models with hand calcs and FEA in Nastran.
• Manage large-scale simulation data with Docker, GCP, and PostgreSQL.
• Collaborate with Marine Ops, Manufacturing, and ME teams.

Skills

Structural analysis

Software development

Cross-functional collaboration

Cloud computing familiarity

Code validation and hand calculations

Education

Undergraduate degree in Mechanical/Structural Engineering

MS/PhD in computational mechanics or structural dynamics

Tools

Julia

Python

Nastran

PostgreSQL

Docker

Git

GCP

AWS

Azure

Job description

Our offices, lab, and shop are located in Portland, Oregon.

Key Responsibilities

• We are developing a core technology that will operate in the worst conditions the world’s oceans have to offer for years at a time without human maintenance or intervention. As a Senior Structural Engineer - Simulation, you will be the architect of the digital tools that define our physical success. You will sit at the intersection of structural mechanics and high-performance computing, developing the solvers and automation pipelines that allow us to evaluate millions of design possibilities with physics-backed confidence.
• You will lead the development of our internal Julia-based reduced order structural models (ROM) and the pipelines connecting these fast solvers with high-fidelity FEA.
• We expect you to be an expert in structural fundamentals who is equally comfortable writing production-grade code, managing cloud-based compute environments, and validating complex load cases against first principles.
• Candidates should have strong interpersonal skills and be able to thrive in a creative, scrappy, and collaborative environment in which the best ideas change the company’s direction on a regular basis. If you are an excellent engineer, regardless of your background, we want you to apply. Our staff have worked at organizations such as SpaceX, Blue Origin, Boeing, Virgin Orbit, Virgin Galactic, Google, Amazon, Microsoft, New Relic, Raytheon, Disney Imagineering, Bridgewater Associates, and the US Army and Air Force, as well as research universities, startups, and small companies across a range of industries. We are organized as a public benefit corporation and are backed by leading venture capital firms, private investors, philanthropic investors, and endowments.
• We strive to be the best engineering team on the planet and we compensate our engineers accordingly.
• Maintain and advance our reduced-order beam element analysis tool written in Julia. Author new load cases, fix bugs, and optimize performance.
• Build and maintain seamless automation pipelines that transition designs from reduced-order models to high-fidelity FEA shell element models.
• Collaborate with Marine Ops, Manufacturing, and ME teams to define and analyze critical load environments, including wave slamming, tow loads, crane lifts, and fatigue.
• Own the mass estimation process for candidate devices, providing high-accuracy tracking as we iterate through new design concepts.
• Verify automated results using classical hand calculations and perform FEA in Nastran to validate the accuracy of reduced-order outputs.
• Leverage Docker, GCP, and PostgreSQL/Python to manage large-scale simulation data and cloud-based compute workloads.
• Act as the structural simulation lead for novel primary structures, ensuring designs are well-understood from a structural perspective even when conceptual in their maturity.

Requirements

• An undergraduate degree in Mechanical Engineering, Structural Engineering, or equivalent experience and expertise.
• 3+ years of experience in a role involving both structural analysis and software/tooling development.
• Proven experience writing clean, maintainable code in Julia and Python.
• Deep fundamental understanding of structures - preferably large-scale steel structures
• Familiarity with marine-specific load environments (hydrodynamics, mooring, or offshore structures).
• Experience with Git, Docker, and cloud computing environments (GCP/AWS/Azure).
• Working knowledge of Nastran or similar solvers for validating structural models.
• Ability to use AI for code generation and efficiency while maintaining the technical intuition to spot errors in the output.
• Advanced degree (MS/PhD) focusing on computational mechanics or structural dynamics.
• Experience with PostgreSQL or other relational databases for managing large simulation datasets.
• Experience building "human-in-the-loop" automation tools that simplify complex engineering workflows.
• Curiosity to learn all aspects of device dynamics beyond structural analysis.
• The above qualifications are desired, not required. We encourage you to apply if you are a strong candidate with only some of the desired skills and experience listed.
• Intermittently able to work longer hours and weekends to support critical needs. While we expect a lot of each other, we also offer a high degree of autonomy and work-life balance, including unlimited PTO, and flexible working hours.
• If hired for this full-time role, you will receive:
• Cash compensation of $150,000 - $250,000
• Equity in the company. We’re all owners and if we’re successful, this equity should be far and away the most valuable component of your compensation.
• A benefits package that helps you take care of yourself and your family, including:
• Relocation assistance to facilitate your move to Portland (if needed).