Cadence Design Systems

Senior Principal Application Engineer - Physical Systems

Cadence Design Systems • $120K — $150K *
Providence, RI 02902In-Person
Technical Services
Less than 5 years of experience
Today
Be an Early Applicant
Job Overview by Ladders

Qualifications

  • 5-7 years of experience in CAE simulation software, particularly in multi-physics applications.
  • Strong foundation in mechanical engineering principles like solid mechanics, fluid dynamics, and materials science.
  • Experience with specific simulation software such as Nastran, Dytran, or similar tools.
  • Proficient in translating complex engineering needs into effective simulation solutions.
  • Demonstrated ability to engage with diverse industries such as automotive and aerospace.
  • Strong presentation skills for technical demonstrations and engaging with multiple stakeholders.

Responsibilities

  • Partner with sales teams to implement technical strategies throughout the sales process.
  • Leverage mechanical engineering knowledge to engage with customer design teams across various sectors.
  • Understand customer design workflows for multi-Body Dynamics and align simulation solutions accordingly.
  • Position CAE tools as key enablers of product development and optimization for complex systems.
  • Oversee the full technical sales lifecycle, ensuring customer needs align with CAE tool capabilities.
  • Deliver impactful technical presentations that highlight solver accuracy and workflow efficiency.
  • Develop and conduct advanced proof-of-concept studies to validate simulation accuracy against customer specifications.

Benefits

  • Opportunity to work on cutting-edge simulation technologies in a variety of industries.
  • A dynamic work environment that encourages collaboration between sales, engineering, and R&D teams.
  • Possibility for international travel to engage with customers and lead workshops.
  • Access to continuous professional development and training opportunities.
  • Involvement in high-impact projects that enhance personal and professional growth.
Full Job Description
Application Engineer - Presales of CAE Simulation software with focus on multi-physics. Skillset required for products like Nastran, Dytran, Odyssee, FTI/Simufact or similar competitor solutions
  • Partner directly with sales teams to drive technical strategy throughout the sales cycle, translating complex customer engineering challenges into simulation-driven solutions that enable both a technical win and a business win.
  • Leverage strong mechanical engineering fundamentals (solid mechanics, fluid dynamics, heat transfer, materials science, and dynamics) to engage with customer design and analysis teams across industries such as automotive, aerospace, defense, and heavy equipment.
  • Engage early with customers to understand product design and validation workflows, for multi-Body Dynamics including structural analysis (linear/nonlinear FEA, fatigue, durability, crash, NVH) and CFD applications (aerodynamics, thermal management, conjugate heat transfer, multiphase flow) and align simulation solutions to their development processes.
  • Apply expertise in engineering design and simulation of complex systems-including vehicle structures, aircraft components, satellite assemblies, and general mechanical structures-to position CAE tools as a core enabler of digital product development and design optimization.
  • Own the technical sales lifecycle, from requirements discovery through validation, ensuring alignment between customer product design challenges and the capabilities of CAE tools, solver technologies, and simulation workflows.
  • Deliver high-impact technical presentations and demonstrations that reflect real-world engineering scenarios, such as structural integrity validation, lightweighting, thermal management, and aerodynamic performance, demonstrating solver accuracy, robustness, and workflow efficiency.
  • Develop and execute advanced proof-of-concept (PoC) studies using customer-specific CAD geometry, material properties, boundary conditions, and load cases to validate simulation accuracy and demonstrate measurable engineering outcomes (e.g., weight reduction, improved stiffness, reduced drag, thermal efficiency).
  • Architect end-to-end CAE solution workflows including geometry preparation, meshing strategies, solver setup, Multiphysics coupling, optimization, and post-processing-aligned with customer infrastructure (on-prem HPC, cloud, GPU acceleration).
  • Provide technical leadership in deal strategy, positioning differentiators based on deep understanding of numerical methods, solver formulations, meshing techniques, and engineering accuracy requirements.
  • Support RFIs/RFPs with highly technical responses, including simulation methodologies, verification & validation (V&V) approaches, correlation to physical testing, benchmarking data, and system architecture designs.
  • Build trusted advisor relationships with customer engineering teams, providing guidance on best practices in simulation-driven design.
  • Lead technical objection handling, addressing challenges related to solver fidelity, scalability, model complexity, numerical stability, and integration into CAD/PLM and digital engineering ecosystems.
  • Conduct competitive technical benchmarking, comparing solver performance, accuracy, scalability, and workflow automation to clearly position advantages in real-world engineering applications.
  • Collaborate with product management and R&D teams, communicating industry-specific needs such as electrification, lightweighting, advanced materials (e.g., composites), space applications, and digital twin initiatives.
  • Enable internal sales teams and partners through training on simulation fundamentals, application workflows, and technical value messaging tailored to mechanical engineering audiences.
  • Develop reusable technical assets, including validated models, application notes, and industry-specific demonstration cases.
  • Support pre-sales deployment readiness, ensuring proposed solutions align with customer IT, HPC environments, and engineering workflows prior to purchase.
  • Troubleshoot technical issues during evaluations and PoCs, including mesh generation, solver convergence, nonlinear instabilities, and performance tuning to ensure successful outcomes.
  • Drive revenue growth through technical excellence, increasing win rates by demonstrating how simulation accelerates design cycles, reduces physical testing, and improves product performance.
  • Travel as required (up-to 30% of the time) to support customer engagements, technical workshops, and onsite evaluations across domestic and international locations.

About Cadence Design Systems

Cadence Design Systems, Inc. is an American multinational electronic design automation software and engineering services company, founded in 1988 by the merger of SDA Systems and ECAD, Inc. The company produces software, hardware and silicon structures for designing integrated circuits, systems on chips (SoCs) and printed circuit boards.
Learn more about Cadence Design Systems
Size
9,300 employees
Market Cap
$43.9 billion
Industry
Enterprise Technology
Net Income
$590.6 million
Founded
2018
5 Year Trend
+10.5%
Revenue
$2.6 billion
NASDAQ
CDNS
* Ladders Estimates

Similar Jobs

Ad banner background

Get Ready For Your
Next Interview

More Jobs at Cadence Design Systems

More Technical Services Jobs

Find similar Senior Principal Application Engineer - Physical Systems jobs:

NationwideProvidence, RI