Senior Finite Element Analysis Engineer

Race Rock is hiring a Senior Finite Element Analysis Engineer to lead finite element analysis for power delivery and highway steel structures. The role owns analyses from model development through stress reporting, establishes department methods and standards, and supports design, manufacturing, and junior engineers.

Responsibilities:

• Perform linear and nonlinear static structural analyses of utility steel poles, arms, base plates, and connections to evaluate stress, deflection, buckling, and overall structural integrity
• Develop detailed FEA models of gusset plate connections and evaluate critical limit states, including yielding, block shear, local buckling, bearing, and fracture
• Analyze and size welded connections (fillet, CJP, and PJP groove welds), including weld stress evaluation, fatigue assessment, and compliance with AWS D1.1 and AISC 360
• Build, mesh, and validate models using ANSYS Mechanical, Abaqus, FEMAP/NX Nastran, or equivalent tools, applying appropriate boundary conditions, load cases, contact, and mesh convergence studies
• Perform mechanical analyses as required, including fatigue, modal, buckling, and thermal-structural evaluations
• Validate FEA results through hand calculations, closed-form solutions, and code checks per ASCE 48, ASCE 10, and NESC requirements
• Prepare clear, well-documented stress reports and calculation packages for customer review, design verification, and engineering sign-off
• Support design, drafting, and manufacturing teams with design optimization
• Create, import, repair, idealize models for FEA pre-processing by utilizing 3D CAD software such as SolidWork, Inventor, Creo
• Develop and maintain FEA modeling guidelines, analysis procedures, and best practices for the engineering department
• Mentor junior engineers and perform peer reviews of models, calculations, and reports

Requirements:

• Bachelor of Science in Mechanical, Civil/Structural, or Aerospace Engineering from an ABET-accredited program
• 10+ years of experience performing structural FEA and stress analysis, with a strong focus on static and mechanical analysis of steel structures
• Demonstrated expertise in the analysis and design of gusset plates and welded connections
• Advanced proficiency with at least one major FEA package (ANSYS, Abaqus, FEMAP/NX Nastran, or equivalent)
• Strong working knowledge of AISC, AWS D1.1, and ASME codes and standards
• Ability to validate numerical results with classical hand calculations and engineering judgment
• Strong technical writing, organizational, and communication skills, with the ability to work effectively with internal and external stakeholders
• A valid Texas driver's license is required
• Master of Science in Mechanical, Structural, or Aerospace Engineering, with an emphasis in structural mechanics, solid mechanics, or computational/finite element methods
• Demonstrated experience evaluating dynamic response, wind-inducted vibrations (VIV, galloping) in slender cantilevers members
• Advanced proficiency with ANSYS