Mechanical Engineer

Nextech; Wes-Kaap; On-site; ZAR 500 000 - 700 000; Full time

Job summary

A leading engineering firm in South Africa is looking for a passionate Mechanical Structural Engineer with a solid background in vibrational analysis of rotating machinery. The successful candidate will perform detailed simulations, guide design, and validate system performance. Responsibilities include multiphysics structural analysis, collaborating with design teams, and conducting finite element analysis. A Bachelor’s degree in mechanical or aerospace engineering and at least 3 years of relevant experience are required. This is an exciting opportunity to contribute to important propulsion projects.

Qualifications

• 3+ years of experience performing thermal, structural, and vibration analysis for rotating machinery.
• Strong foundation with thermal, structural, vibration and life assessment analysis best practices.
• Prior experience instrumenting hardware using strain gauges, thermocouples, and accelerometers.

Responsibilities

• Perform multiphysics structural, thermal, vibration, fatigue, and fracture analyses.
• Create system, subassemblies, and individual parts analytical models.
• Collaborate with the design team to finalize hardware designs for propulsion components.
• Conduct structural and thermal finite element analysis of components.
• Develop standard practices for structural analysis.
• Detail design of propulsion components, approving CAD designs and drawings.

Skills

Thermal analysis

Structural analysis

Vibration analysis

Finite element analysis

Collaboration

Education

Bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering or aerospace engineering

Job description

Overview

We are looking for a passionate engineer with a solid background in vibrational analysis of rotating machinery to join our Propulsion department. As a Mechanical Structural Engineer, you will contribute to the analysis, design validation, and future improvements of propulsion department. Day to day, you will be expected to analyse data, define loads and environments, perform detailed simulations and physics-based analysis, guide design, and help validate analysis, design, and system performance through test. Scope of work may additionally extend to supporting ground and flight test systems, propulsion development, flight operations, and customer interaction.

Duties and Responsibilities

• Perform multiphysics structural, thermal, vibration, fatigue, and fracture analyses.
• Create system, subassemblies, and individual parts analytical models.
• Collaborate with the design team to finalize hardware designs for propulsion components, including rotor dynamics analysis.
• Conduct structural and thermal finite element analysis of components, ensuring performance, safety, and lifetime analysis studies.
• Develop standard practices for structural analysis and common hand calculations to expedite hardware development.
• Detail design of propulsion components, overseeing and approving CAD designs and drawings.
• Provide support for manufacturing requirements and quality assurance.
• Collaborate with other departments and other multi-disciplinary projects.
• Provide system and subsystem level integration and testing support in RSA and at clients abroad and provide recommendations based on analysis.
• Write design, test, and other technical project reports/documents.

Experience and Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering, aerospace engineering, or related field.
• 3+ years of experience performing thermal, structural, and vibration analysis for rotating machinery.
• Strong foundation with thermal, structural, vibration and life assessment analysis best practices.
• Strong foundation on ductile and brittle material failure theories.
• Prior experience instrumenting hardware using strain gauges, thermocouples, and accelerometers to anchor FEM results.