BS/MS/PhD in Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or a related field
7+ years of CAE/FEA experience in relevant industries
Deep expertise with major FEA suites (e.g., Abaqus, ANSYS)
Experience defining load cases from requirements or data
Proven track record managing external contractors
Strong understanding of structural dynamics and material behavior
Ability to correlate simulation results with physical tests
Responsibilities
Define load profiles and analysis requirements based on vehicle usage and industry standards
Build a scalable analysis process for hardware simulation
Evaluate and deploy CAE tools effectively
Scope and manage external contractors and their deliverables
Perform and review various analyses including structural and thermal
Correlate simulation results with physical test data
Collaborate with design and program teams to influence early design decisions
Mentor engineers and establish technical standards for simulation quality
Benefits
Opportunity to lead innovative hardware simulation projects
Collaborative work environment with cross-functional teams
Mentorship opportunities to develop engineering talent
Access to cutting-edge CAE tools and technologies
Potential for professional growth in a dynamic industry
Full Job Description
About the role
As a CAE Engineer, you will build and own the hardware simulation capability behind Applied Intuition's vehicle hardware programs. You will set how we analyze critical structures, sensor mounts, compute enclosures, and complex electro-mechanical assemblies, so that designs are validated virtually before they reach the test track or the road. You will define the load cases, build the CAE process from the ground up, help define the tools and infrastructure the team relies on, and lead external contractors to scale analysis across multiple projects.
At Applied Intuition, you will:
Define load profiles and analysis requirements (static, shock, vibration, durability/fatigue, thermal) from vehicle usage data, road load data, customer requirements, and industry standards.
Build a scalable analysis process
Evaluate, select, and deploy CAE tools .
Scope and manage contractors, including statements of work, schedules, technical reviews, and quality of deliverables.
Perform and review structural, modal, random vibration, fatigue, and thermal analysis
Correlate simulation results with physical test data, working closely with hardware validation and integration teams to refine models and test plans.
Work with mechanical design, systems, and program teams to feed simulation into design decisions early and set design guidelines.
Mentor engineers and set technical standards for simulation quality across the organization.
We're looking for someone who has:
BS/MS/PhD in Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or a similar field
7+ years of CAE/FEA experience in automotive, commercial vehicle, aerospace, agriculture, construction, or defense
Deep expertise with at least one major FEA suite (e.g., Abaqus, ANSYS, Nastran, LS-DYNA, OptiStruct) and pre-processors (e.g., HyperMesh, ANSA)
Experience defining load cases and load profiles from requirements, standards, or measured data
Experience managing external contractors or engineering service providers
Strong grasp of structural dynamics, fatigue, and material behavior
Strong understanding of correlating simulation to physical test results
Nice to have:
Experience with durability/fatigue tools (e.g., nCode, FEMFAT) and road load data acquisition
Experience with CFD or thermal simulation for electronics enclosures
Scripting and automation for CAE workflows (Python, APDL, TCL)
Experience setting up simulation data management or HPC environments
Don't meet every single requirement? If you're excited about this role but your past experience doesn't align perfectly with every qualification in the job description, we encourage you to apply anyway. You may be just the right candidate for this or other roles.
About Applied Intuition
Applied Intuition is a software company that provides a simulation platform for autonomous vehicles. The platform allows developers to test and validate their autonomous vehicle software in a virtual environment before deploying it on real vehicles. Applied Intuition was founded in 2017 and is headquartered in Mountain View, California.
