Automotive Body-in-White (BIW) Structural Engineer

Placements24; Mbombela (Nelspruit); On-site; ZAR 900,000 - 1,200,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Comprehensive medical benefits

Retirement benefits

Performance bonuses

Professional growth opportunities

Training in advanced simulation tech

Job summary

Placements24 in Mpumalanga, South Africa, seeks an Automotive BIW Structural Engineer for on-site work in Nelspruit. You will design, analyze and optimize BIW structures, ensuring crashworthiness and weight efficiency using advanced FEA tools.

Candidates should have 5+ years in automotive BIW design/analysis and strong skills in Abaqus/ANSYS/LS-DYNA with HyperMesh/ANSA. This role is based in Nelspruit with opportunities for growth in a leading automotive company.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's or master's degree in Mechanical/Structural Engineering or a related field.
• Minimum 5 years in automotive BIW structural design and analysis.
• Strong proficiency with FEA software and post-processing tools.
• Solid understanding of structural mechanics and crashworthiness principles.
• Experience with BIW design principles and manufacturing processes.

Responsibilities

• Design and analyze BIW structures for new vehicle programs for strength and crashworthiness.
• Perform FEA simulations to predict structural behavior under loads and crashes.
• Optimize BIW for weight reduction while meeting safety requirements.
• Collaborate with design to translate concepts into manufacturable BIW structures.
• Work with manufacturing to ensure feasible BIW assembly processes.
• Develop test plans for BIW components and correlate simulations with tests.
• Identify structural issues via simulation and testing and drive root-cause analysis.
• Contribute to BIW design standards and best practices.

Skills

BIW design

Structural analysis

FEA methodology

Analytical thinking

Team collaboration

Education

Bachelor's or Master's in Mechanical/Structural Engineering

Tools

Abaqus

ANSYS

LS-DYNA

HyperMesh

ANSA

Job description

About the Role

Our client, a globally recognized automotive manufacturer, is seeking a skilled Automotive Body-in-White (BIW) Structural Engineer to join their advanced engineering division located in Nelspruit, Mpumalanga. This role is pivotal in ensuring the structural integrity, safety, and performance of vehicle body structures. You will be responsible for the design, analysis, and optimization of BIW structures using advanced simulation tools. This is an on-site position requiring close collaboration with design, manufacturing, and testing teams. We are looking for a detail-oriented engineer with a strong background in structural mechanics and automotive BIW design. This is an exciting opportunity to shape the future of vehicle bodies at a leading automotive company.

Key Responsibilities

• Design and analyze Body-in-White (BIW) structures for new vehicle programs, ensuring strength, stiffness, durability, and crashworthiness.
• Perform Finite Element Analysis (FEA) simulations to predict structural behavior under various load conditions (static, dynamic, crash).
• Optimize BIW structure for weight reduction while meeting all performance and safety requirements.
• Collaborate with the design team to translate concept designs into manufacturable BIW structures.
• Work closely with manufacturing engineers to ensure the feasibility of BIW assembly processes.
• Develop and execute test plans for BIW components and structures, correlating simulation results with physical test data.
• Identify and resolve structural issues through simulation, testing, and root cause analysis.
• Contribute to the development of design standards and best practices for BIW engineering.
• Stay informed about the latest advancements in BIW materials, joining technologies, and structural analysis techniques.

Requirements

• Bachelor's or Master's degree in Mechanical Engineering, Structural Engineering, or a related discipline.
• Minimum of 5 years of experience in automotive BIW structural design and analysis.
• Strong proficiency in FEA software (e.g., Abaqus, ANSYS, LS-DYNA) and pre/post-processors (e.g., HyperMesh, ANSA).
• Solid understanding of structural mechanics, material properties, and vehicle crashworthiness principles.
• Experience with automotive design principles and manufacturing processes related to BIW.
• Ability to interpret and apply automotive regulations and safety standards.
• Excellent analytical, problem-solving, and critical thinking skills.
• Effective communication and teamwork abilities.
• Must be based in or willing to relocate to Nelspruit, Mpumalanga , for this on-site position.

Benefits

• Annual salary up to R .
• Comprehensive medical and retirement benefits.
• Performance bonuses.
• Opportunities for professional growth and specialized training.
• Exposure to advanced automotive design and simulation technologies.
• A challenging and rewarding work environment.
• Collaborative team atmosphere.