Job Description
About the role. We are seeking a CAE Engineer to support piston structures and durability within Global Virtual Engineering. This role converts engineering questions, requirements, and failure modes into physics-based analysis and clear design decisions. The engineer will independently execute moderate-scope work, resolve non-routine technical issues, and partner with program teams, design-release engineers, suppliers, and other virtual-analysis specialists.
What you will do:
• Lead piston structural and durability evaluations from problem definition through recommendation, including load definition, model setup, analysis execution, post-processing, interpretation, and technical reporting.
• Assess piston and related component performance across thermal, mechanical, inertia, pressure, bore-distortion, clearance, and other relevant operating conditions.
• Use appropriate CAE fidelity for the engineering decision: fast screening methods for broad option spaces and higher-fidelity models for critical risk retirement and design release decisions.
• Diagnose non-routine issues, perform sensitivity and variation studies, identify likely failure mechanisms, and recommend practical design or analysis improvements.
• Connect analysis to requirements, DFMEA failure modes, detection/prevention methods, and qualification evidence so that virtual work directly supports risk reduction.
• Prepare concise, traceable analysis reports and decision packages for program teams, DREs, suppliers, leadership reviews, PPDR/PRTS support, and warranty or field investigations as needed.
• Maintain and improve piston-analysis standard work, procedures, templates, macros, and reusable data practices; identify opportunities to improve cycle time, physics, repeatability, and first-time quality.
• Develop automation and capability improvements using appropriate tools such as Python, MATLAB, Excel/VBA, or comparable scripting and post-processing methods.
• Support benchmarking and method development, including comparison of alternative tools, model fidelity, correlation evidence, and emerging virtual-engineering practices.
• Share knowledge and coach developing engineers or technical partners on analysis methods, standard work, interpretation, and quality expectations.
• Collaborate across piston, rings, connecting-rod, cranktrain, lubrication/tribology, materials, testing, design, and program organizations to deliver customer-focused outcomes.
Required qualifications:
• Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering, Automotive Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, Materials Engineering, or a related technical discipline; equivalent relevant experience may be considered.
• Professional experience applying CAE, FEA, or comparable engineering simulation methods to structural, durability, thermal-structural, or related mechanical problems.
• Demonstrated ability to work independently with limited guidance, exercise sound engineering judgment, and determine an appropriate course of action within established procedures and practices.
• Experience defining analysis inputs and boundary conditions, evaluating model quality, interpreting results, and communicating limitations, uncertainty, and recommendations.
• Ability to identify and resolve non-routine technical problems and manage moderate-scope work through completion.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to explain technical conclusions to both engineering specialists and broader program audiences.
• Ability to collaborate effectively with cross-functional teams, suppliers, and customers while maintaining accountability for quality, timing, and follow-through.
Preferred qualifications
• Master's or Ph.D. degree in Mechanical Engineering, Automotive Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, Materials Engineering, or a related technical discipline.
• Experience with piston structures, piston pins, connecting rods, cranktrain components, engine durability, or related powertrain hardware.
• Experience with tools such as Abaqus, HyperMesh, FLARE, AVL EXCITE, or comparable pre-processing, solving, and post-processing environments.
• Knowledge of piston failure modes and performance topics such as safety factors, thermal loading, bore distortion, skirt contact/scuffing, land clearance, piston noise, pin behavior, or fatigue.
• Experience with DFMEA, risk-based evaluation planning, design variation/sensitivity studies, qualification evidence, or virtual-physical correlation.
• Experience developing or maintaining engineering standard work, analysis procedures, Excel/VBA tools, Python/MATLAB scripts, automation, or reusable engineering workflows.
• Experience working with production programs, supplier technical issues, warranty/field investigations, or design changes under timing pressure.
• Experience applying artificial intelligence or machine learning to engineering workflows-such as surrogate modeling, reduced-order modeling, design-space exploration, optimization, or predictive analytics-and using design synthesis methods to generate, evaluate, and down-select component or system concepts.
Location: Hybrid. This role is categorized as hybrid. This means the successful candidate is expected to report to the - Global HQ Warren MI three times per week, at minimum [or other frequency dictated by the business]
Relocation: This role MAY be eligible for relocation benefits.
This role is categorized as hybrid. This means the selected candidate is expected to report to a specific location at least 3 times a week {or other frequency dictated by their manager}.The selected candidate will be required to travel
