Software Engineer II (Meshing)

Cadence Design Systems, Inc.; San Jose (CA); On-site; USD 37,000 - 60,000; Full time

Job summary

Cadence Design Systems, Inc. is seeking a Software Engineer II in Shanghai to contribute to meshing capabilities for MSC Apex. This early-career role targets recent graduates with a master’s degree or candidates with foundational software experience.

You will work under guidance to develop and test CAE preprocessing, meshing, and related workflows. You will improve C++ code, participate in design discussions, code reviews, and testing, while expanding your expertise in meshing algorithms and

Qualifications

• Experience with C++ in engineering software development.
• Strong understanding of data structures and algorithms.
• Experience with unit testing, debugging, and software validation.
• Exposure to meshing, CAD/CAE tools or engineering workflows preferred.

Responsibilities

• Design, implement, test, and maintain meshing software features for CAE products.
• Contribute to surface, volume meshing, and mesh quality improvement workflows.
• Translate requirements and designs into reliable C++ code.
• Collaborate with QA, product, and other teams to deliver features and fix defects.
• Write unit and regression tests, analyze results, and improve software quality.

Skills

C++ programming

Data structures

Algorithms

OO design

Software testing

Debugging

Unit testing

Education

Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Computer Science or related engineering

Tools

Git

Build systems

MSC Apex

Job description

Full time

SHANGHAI

Position Summary

At Cadence, we hire and develop leaders and innovators who want to make an impact on the world of technology. Position Summary We are seeking a Software Engineer II to contribute to the development and testing of meshing capabilities for MSC Apex. This is an early-career role suitable for a recent graduate with a master’s degree or a candidate with foundational software engineering experience. Working with guidance from senior engineers, the successful candidate will implement and improve software used in CAE preprocessing, model preparation, surface and volume meshing, mesh quality evaluation, sizing controls, and downstream simulation workflows. The role offers opportunities to build expertise in C++, meshing algorithms, engineering software development, and collaborative product delivery.

Key Responsibilities

• Design, implement, test, and maintain meshing software features for CAE products under the guidance of experienced engineers.
• Contribute to surface meshing, volume meshing, mesh quality improvement, sizing controls, mesh cleanup, and related preprocessing workflows.
• Translate clearly defined requirements and technical designs into reliable, maintainable C++ code.
• Collaborate with senior engineers, QA, product, and other development teams to deliver features and resolve defects.
• Write unit and regression tests, analyze test results, and help improve software quality and coverage.
• Investigate meshing defects, quality issues, performance problems, and workflow failures using systematic debugging and diagnostic techniques.
• Participate in design discussions, code reviews, agile planning, technical documentation, and continuous improvement of team engineering practices.

Education

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Computer Science, Mechanical Engineering, Computational Engineering, Computer-Aided Engineering, Applied Mathematics, or a related engineering discipline.

Experience

• Bachelor’s degree with approximately 2–4 years of relevant software engineering experience, or a relevant master’s degree with little to no professional experience.
• Foundational understanding of data structures, algorithms, object-oriented design, and software development principles.
• Academic or practical experience developing software in C++, preferably for engineering, scientific computing, geometry, graphics, simulation, or related applications.
• Exposure to meshing, computational geometry, numerical methods, finite element analysis, or CAE preprocessing through coursework, research, internships, or projects is preferred.
• Ability to understand technical requirements, implement well-scoped components, and seek guidance when requirements or technical tradeoffs are unclear.
• Familiarity with software debugging, source control, build systems, automated testing, and common development workflows.
• Exposure to CAD/CAE products or meshing tools such as MSC Apex, Patran, ANSA, HyperMesh, SimLab, ICEM CFD, Pointwise, Gmsh, or equivalent technologies is beneficial but not required.
• Willingness to learn from code reviews, technical mentoring, product feedback, and customer-reported issues.
• Familiarity with AI-assisted software development tools such as GitHub Copilot, Cursor, or similar tools for coding, testing, documentation, or learning is preferred.

Technical Skills

• Working proficiency in C++, including object-oriented programming, standard data structures, memory management concepts, and basic performance considerations.
• Foundational knowledge of computational geometry or meshing concepts such as triangulation, surface discretization, volume discretization, and mesh optimization.
• Familiarity with mesh quality concepts such as element validity, aspect ratio, skewness, warpage, Jacobian checks, smoothing, refinement, and repair.
• Basic understanding of geometry-to-mesh workflows, CAD or boundary-representation inputs, feature preservation, and geometry cleanup dependencies.
• Ability to implement and maintain well-defined APIs, reusable components, and data structures with guidance from senior engineers.
• Developing debugging and problem-solving skills for identifying software defects, mesh generation failures, and numerical issues.
• Familiarity with unit testing, regression testing, version control, code reviews, and continuous integration practices.
• Ability to analyze basic performance and memory behavior and apply improvements with technical guidance.
• Working knowledge of Python or another scripting language for automation, diagnostics, prototypes, validation, or engineering productivity is preferred.

Soft Skills

• Strong communication and collaboration skills.
• Problem-solving and analytical thinking.
• Ability to work independently and in a team environment.
• Strong organizational and time-management skills.

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Cadence plays a critical role in creating the technologies that modern life depends on. We are a global electronic design automation company, providing software, hardware, and intellectual property to design advanced semiconductor chips that enable our customers create revolutionary products and experiences.

Thanks to the outstanding caliber of the Cadence team and the empowering culture that we have cultivated for over 25 years, Cadence continues to be recognized by Fortune Magazine as one of the 100 Best Companies to Work For. Our shared passion for solving the world’s toughest technical challenges, our dedication to pushing the limits of the industry, and our drive to do meaningful work differentiates the people of Cadence.

Cadence is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, sex, age, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, status as a veteran, basis of disability, or any other protected class.

Cadence is committed to creating a diverse environment and is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, sex, age, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, status as a veteran, basis of disability, or any other protected class.