Position Summary
The Simulation Engineer performs advanced structural and thermal simulations to support the design, development, validation, and continuous improvement of industrial valve products. The role develops reliable analysis methods, interprets simulation results, and translates findings into practical design recommendations. Working with design engineering, product management, manufacturing, quality, testing, and materials teams, this engineer helps ensure valve components and assemblies meet functional, reliability, manufacturability, safety, and applicable code requirements.
Responsibilities Include
- Plan, execute, and document structural and thermal FEA/CFD for valve components and assemblies, including nonlinear contact, material, preload, pressure, mechanical, fluid and thermal effects.
- Evaluate stress, strain, deformation, sealing contact, buckling, fatigue, thermal gradients, pressure gradients, velocity gradients and design margins using appropriate geometry, loads, constraints, mesh, and material models.
- Assess designs against customer and internal criteria and applicable requirements such as ASME Section VIII, ASME V&V10, ASME V&V20, ASME B16.34, API 609, ASME B16.5/B16.47, and the Pressure Equipment Directive.
- Verify and correlate models with hand calculations, published methods, test or strain-gage data, and field evidence; refine models as needed.
- Produce clear, review-ready reports documenting assumptions, methods, convergence, results, limitations, conclusions, and recommended actions.
- Partner with design, test, manufacturing, quality, materials, and product teams to reduce technical risk, optimize cost and weight, resolve failures, and accelerate product development.
- Develop standardized procedures, templates, material libraries, review checklists, automation, and efficient computing workflows, including HPC where beneficial.
- Conduct peer reviews, maintain controlled analysis records, communicate results across global teams, and promote FEA best practices through technical guidance and training.
Minimum Requirements
- Bachelor's degree in mechanical, Aerospace, Applied Mechanics, or a closely related engineering field.
- Three or more years of professional FEA experience with mechanical components or assemblies; relevant advanced-degree research may count toward experience.
- Demonstrated structural-analysis experience with commercial FEA software; ANSYS Mechanical is preferred.
- Proficiency with 3D CAD geometry preparation and working knowledge of mechanics, strength of materials, heat transfer, fatigue, and numerical methods.
- Ability to prepare technically defensible analysis documentation and clearly present conclusions and recommendations.
- Ability to work onsite in Houston five days per week and travel as required.
Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities
- Strong practical knowledge of element and mesh selection, contact, nonlinear convergence, load stepping, result interpretation, singularities, and model verification.
- Ability to define realistic valve loads and constraints and use hand calculations and engineering judgment to verify load paths, reactions, order of magnitude, and design margins.
- Understanding of elastic-plastic and temperature-dependent behavior, friction, elastomers and polymers, metal contact, fatigue, stress linearization, and code-based acceptance methods.
- Exposure to advanced methods such as sub modeling, symmetry, modal, buckling, fracture, explicit dynamics, or fluid-structure interaction is beneficial.
- Familiarity with Python, APDL, or equivalent scripting and automation tools is preferred.
- Strong problem-solving, prioritization, organization, collaboration, and technical communication skills in a global engineering environment.
Position Competencies
- Technical Excellence: Applies sound mechanics, numerical methods, verification practices, and engineering judgment to produce reliable simulation results.
- Problem Solving: Frames complex valve problems clearly, tests assumptions, identifies root causes, and recommends practical actions.
- Quality and Accountability: Produces accurate, traceable, review-ready models and reports and takes ownership of conclusions.
- Collaboration and Communication: Works effectively across functions and explains simulation results, uncertainties, and design implications clearly.
- Continuous Improvement: Builds reusable methods, automation, and lessons learned that improve simulation speed, consistency, and value.
Working Relationship
Works closely with valve design engineering, R&D and test laboratories, product management, manufacturing engineering, quality, materials engineering, sourcing, and global engineering teams. May interface with software providers, consultants, suppliers, customers, and third-party test laboratories on assigned technical matters.
Level of Supervision
Works under general supervision and independently plans and executes assigned analyses. Complex methods, assumptions, acceptance criteria, and high-impact conclusions are reviewed with the responsible engineering leader or designated technical reviewer. This position does not have direct supervisory responsibilities unless separately assigned.
Work Environment
Primary work is performed in a professional office and computer-based engineering environment. The role may periodically require work in engineering laboratories, manufacturing areas, or test facilities where personal protective equipment and site safety requirements apply. Extended computer use is expected.