Product Development Simulation Intern

About the role

The Product Development Simulation Intern will work alongside experienced engineers to evaluate the structural performance of existing product designs using Finite Element Analysis (FEA), engineering calculations, and laboratory testing. The Product Development Simulation Intern will gain hands-on experience testing and analyzing injection molded plastic components used in demanding automotive, industrial, and consumer applications. This internship focuses on the critical relationship between physical testing and computer simulation, helping ensure that engineering analysis accurately predicts product performance. Working alongside Simulation and Validation engineers, you will design and conduct physical tests, collect performance data, and perform correlation studies that compare laboratory results with Finite Element Analysis (FEA) predictions. Your work will directly influence how products are tested, analyzed, and validated. This will be achieved while maintaining HellermannTyton's Quality and EHS certifications by supporting all corporate policies, procedures, work instructions, and required documentation.

Responsibilities

• Support structural analysis activities for injection molded plastic components and assemblies that replicate physical testing. Testing could be static or dynamic (vibration).
• Design, build, and execute mechanical tests on injection molded plastic components and assemblies.
• Develop test setups and fixturing to accurately represent real-world loading conditions.
• Collect and analyze measurements including load, displacement, strain, deformation, and failure data.
• Create, run, and interpret finite element simulations using commercial FEA software.
• Apply principles from Strength of Materials to evaluate stresses, strains, deflections, and factors of safety.
• Perform correlation studies comparing physical test results to finite element simulation predictions.
• Work directly with simulation engineers to improve modeling assumptions and analysis accuracy.
• Help identify efficient testing strategies that provide reliable validation while minimizing cost and testing time.
• Analyze the impact of material properties, loading conditions, and environmental factors on product performance.
• Collaborate with design and testing teams to optimize analysis and testing functions.
• Document engineering findings and present to technical teams.

Requirements

• Experience with ANSYS, Abaqus, SOLIDWORKS Simulation, HyperWorks, or similar FEA software
• CAD experience using SOLIDWORKS, Creo, CATIA, NX, or similar platforms
• Understanding of plastic material behavior and manufacturing processes
• Experience with engineering laboratory testing or data analysis
• Familiarity with MATLAB, Python, or other engineering analysis tools

Qualifications

• Currently pursuing a Bachelor's degree in Mechanical, Aerospace, Materials Engineering, Engineering Mechanics or a related engineering discipline.
• Junior or Senior standing
• Successful completion of Strength of Materials (Mechanics of Materials) or Engineering Mechanics/Statics
• Exposure to Finite Element Analysis through coursework, projects, research, or internships
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills
• Ability to communicate technical information effectively