Structural Analysis Lead

About the Company

Since its inception in 1987, CFD Research has delivered innovative technology solutions within the Aerospace & Defense, Biomedical & Life Sciences, Intelligence & Sensing, and Energy & Materials industries. The company has earned multiple national awards for successful application and commercialization of innovative component/system technology prototypes, multi-physics simulation software, multi-disciplinary analyses, and expert support services. Based in Huntsville, Alabama, CFD Research also maintains office and laboratory facilities in Dayton, Ohio; Hollywood, Alabama; and Fort Walton Beach, Florida. CFD Research is an ISO9001:AS9100D registered company, appraised at CMMI Level II for Services, and is a 100% ESOP (employee-owned company).

About the Role

The candidate will oversee FEA-based structural work, including static strength, high-speed dynamic impacts, vibrations, fatigue, and crack propagation. Experience with turbomachinery and rotordynamics is a plus. The position is located at CFD Research’s Huntsville Headquarters, where the candidate will lead a growing team of structural engineers providing rapid design recommendations and assessments.

The candidate will identify, scope, and direct work in conjunction with the program manager and group SMEs, ensure quality assurance on all work products, and brief results to customers. The role also involves interfacing regularly with the Prototype, Test, and Evaluation Division engineers at the company’s Hollywood, AL Engineering Test Center, requiring trips to Hollywood to support in-person meetings three times a month.

In addition to overseeing and directing the technical work of the group, the candidate will mentor, train, and develop team members through regular one-on-one career development discussions and biannual performance reviews.

Responsibilities

• Lead a team of structural engineers in performing FEA-based analyses, including static strength, high-speed dynamic impacts, vibrations, fatigue, and crack propagation.
• Oversee and direct technical work, ensuring quality assurance on all deliverables.
• Brief results to customers and stakeholders.
• Interface with Prototype, Test, and Evaluation Division engineers, including travel to the Hollywood, AL Engineering Test Center three times a month.
• Mentor, train, and develop team members through career development discussions and performance reviews.
• Perform classical hand calculations to validate FEA models, sanity-check boundary conditions, and verify load paths.
• Review structural test data (e.g., strain gauges, load cells, vibration sweep testing) to calibrate and validate finite element models.
• Manage group budgets, software license allocations (e.g., Ansys/Abaqus token pools), and High-Performance Computing (HPC) hardware environments (desired).

Requirements

• U.S. Citizenship and eligibility to obtain and maintain a secret security clearance.
• Bachelor’s Degree in Mechanical Engineering.
• 10+ years of hands-on experience with FEA.
• 3+ years of experience in team leadership, project leadership, or technical mentorship.
• Deep understanding of linear static, dynamic, modal, fatigue, and buckling analyses.
• Proficiency in Abaqus and LS-DYNA.
• Familiarity with running on a remote HPC cluster and submitting jobs to a bash scheduler.
• Solid grasp of isotropic and basic composite material behavior, yield criteria (Von Mises, Tresca), and fracture mechanics basics.
• Knowledge of thermal–structural coupling.

Qualifications (Desired)

• Active secret security clearance.
• Master’s Degree in Mechanical Engineering.
• Expertise in complex non-linear dynamics, large deformation, plastic collapse, transient thermal-stress coupling, and progressive damage mechanics.
• Deep familiarization with relevant domain codes/standards (e.g., ASME Boiler & Pressure Vessel Code).
• Experience with rotordynamics and associated analysis methods.
• Proficiency in Python, APDL, TCL/TK, or C++ to automate mesh generation, post-processing report generation, and parametric optimizations.

Location

This role is based in Huntsville, AL, and is 100% onsite.

Benefits

• Competitive salaries and employer-matching 401(k).
• Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP).
• Comprehensive insurance package, including medical, vision, and dental.
• Company-paid leave, compensation time, parental leave, and short/long-term disability.
• Accidental death and dismemberment, and life insurance.
• Biannual performance appraisals with annual pay increases based on corporate goals, personal development, and performance.
• Group and individual bonuses for exceptional performance.