Principal Product Engineer - FEA

Description

Position at Samtec, Inc

Founded in 1976, Samtec is a privately held, $1 Billion global manufacturer of a broad line of electronic interconnect solutions, including High-Speed Board-to-Board, High-Speed Cables, Mid-Board and Panel Optics, Precision RF, Flexible Stacking, and Micro/Rugged components and cables. Samtec Technology Centers are dedicated to developing and advancing technologies, strategies and products to optimize both the performance and cost of a system from the bare die to an interface 100 meters away, and all interconnect points in between. With 40+ international locations and products sold in more than 125 different countries, Samtec’s global presence enables its unmatched customer service. 

Summary/Objective:The Principal Product Engineer – FEA leads advanced structural and thermal analyses for complex mechanical systems. This role emphasizes deep expertise in finite elements analysis (FEA), particularly non-linear behavior, shock, vibration, creep, thermal loading, and stress relaxation phenomena. The engineer will serve as a subject matter expert and guide design teams within New Product or Sustaining Product Engineering ensuring compliance with demanding environmental and performance requirements.

Essential Functions/ Responsibilities: 

• Lead and perform complex finite element analysis (FEA) studies using industry standard tools (e.g., ANSYS Mechanical, LS-DYNA) for static, dynamic, shock, vibration, and thermo-mechanical loading across components and assemblies.
• Lead simulation-driven studies and analytical Design of Experiments (DOE) to quantify sensitivity to geometry, materials, process parameters, and boundary conditions.
• Multi-step, history-dependent mechanical and thermo-mechanical loading, including manufacturing and assembly load sequences, across components and assemblies.
• Analyze and predict fatigue, damage accumulation, and long-term reliability using physics-based metrics such as strain energy density, stress/strain range, and time and force dependent deformation behavior.
• Utilize simulation to evaluate material behavior in metals, polymers, and composite materials to inform design and material selection.
• Serve as a subject matter expert for advanced mechanics, structural integrity, and reliability of mechanical assemblies and systems.
• Conduct coupled thermo-mechanical simulations to evaluate creep, thermal fatigue, and long-term material deformation under sustained loads.
• Develop, implement, and validate advanced material models including viscoelastic, creep, and stress relaxation behavior, particularly at elevated temperatures.
• Develop and correlate analytical models with physical test data to ensure accuracy and predictive capability.
• Provide technical mentorship for simulation engineers and lead standardization of FEA workflows, best practices, and analysis templates.
• Partner closely with cross-functional teams to ensure robust, manufacturable solutions that meet customer requirements.
• Communicate analytical findings effectively in design reviews, technical reports, and presentations to internal and external customers.
• Work effectively across multiple projects and priorities in a demanding environment.

“The responsibilities as defined are intended to serve as a general guideline for this position. Employees may be asked to perform additional tasks depending on strengths and capabilities.”

Required Experience:

• 10+ years of experience conducting structural analysis using commercial FEA tools, with experience using advanced techniques such as shock, vibration, and coupled thermo-mechanical FEA.
• Deep understanding of mechanics, dynamic response, and material behavior (including creep, stress relaxation, and fatigue).
• Expert with commercial FEA tools and design software (e.g., ANSYS, Abaqus, Nastran, SolidWorks).
• Proven expertise in modeling complex mechanical systems, encompassing contact, anisotropic materials such as fiber-filled plastics, and nonlinear modeling. Skilled in coupled thermo-mechanical modeling, including analyses of creep, thermal loading, and stress relaxation. Experienced in shock, vibration, and reliability modeling and qualification of mechanical systems.
• Expertise in non-linear solution strategies, convergence control, contact stabilization, and solver selection for complex problems. 
• Proven record of accomplishment interpreting complex simulation results and influencing engineering decisions and product design. 
• Must be able to manage multiple projects simultaneously as priorities can change quickly. 
• Excellent technical communication (written and verbal) and experience interfacing with customers, multidisciplinary engineering teams, and non-technical stakeholders. 

Preferred Experience:

• Experience within electronic, defense, aerospace, energy, or high reliability industrial fields.
• Knowledge and experience with manufacturing processes such as cold rolling, stamping, and injection molding and their impact on structural performance.
• Experience with product test plan development and correlation of simulation results to test data.
• Knowledge and experience with material testing and characterization methods (e.g., DMA, TMA, Stress Relaxation).
• Leadership experience in mentoring engineers and driving improvements in analytical processes and methodologies.
• Experience automating analysis workflows and post-processing using scripting or custom tools.

Education:  

• Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, Materials Science or equivalent is required.
• Master’s degree or PhD is highly desirable but not required.

SAMTEC, Inc. is an Equal Opportunity Employer and committed to creating a diverse environment. All employment decisions at Samtec are based in business needs, job requirements and individual qualifications, without regard to race, color, religion or belief, national, social or ethnic origin, pregnancy or parental status, age, disability, sexual orientation, gender and/or gender identity/expression, marital status, past or present military service, family medical history or genetic information, or any other status protected by applicable laws. Privacy Policy: https://www.samtec.com/about/legal/#privacyrightspage