Product Design Engineer (CAE / Design / Technical Service)
Akron, OH | Plastics Manufacturing / Advanced Materials | Monday – Friday, 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM | Day Shift
Compensation: $120,000 – $135,000
Employment: Full-Time / Direct Hire
About the Opportunity
A globally recognized advanced materials manufacturer is expanding its Customer Solution Center engineering team in Ravenna, Ohio. This is a senior individual contributor role inside a technical organization that interfaces directly with OEM and Tier-1 customers across automotive, industrial, and consumer applications. The team provides simulation, design, and application engineering support for customers using ABS and other engineering thermoplastics — and this engineer is a primary technical resource in that process.
What You'll Do
- Perform structural FEA and simulation (linear and nonlinear) using Abaqus, ANSYS, LS-DYNA, or equivalent commercial solvers
- Conduct durability, fatigue, impact, creep, and deformation analyses for plastic components
- Correlate simulation results with physical test data and support failure investigations and root-cause analysis
- Review and support part and system-level designs in CATIA V5/V6; assess geometry, manufacturability, and performance
- Recommend design modifications and optimization strategies based on analysis findings
- Serve as the primary technical interface between the company and customers (OEMs, Tier-1s, processors)
- Lead technical discussions on material performance, design assumptions, and failure mechanisms
- Support customer troubleshooting through onsite and virtual technical reviews
- Translate complex analysis findings into clear, actionable recommendations for non-CAE audiences
- Collaborate cross-functionally with internal R&D, testing, and manufacturing teams
What You'll Need
- Bachelor's or Master's degree in Mechanical Engineering, Materials Engineering, or a closely related discipline
- 5+ years of engineering experience with meaningful exposure to CAE/FEA, product design, and/or customer-facing technical support
- Hands-on experience with at least one commercial FEA/simulation platform (Abaqus, ANSYS, LS-DYNA, or similar) in an applied, non-academic context
- Working knowledge of CATIA V5 or V6 for design review and geometry navigation
- Direct experience interacting with external customers, OEM engineers, or Tier-1 suppliers in a technical capacity
- Ability to explain simulation results, design tradeoffs, and failure mechanisms clearly to both technical and non-technical audiences
- Permanent U.S. work authorization — no visa sponsorship available now or in the future
- Strong written and verbal English communication skills
Why This Role
This role offers high visibility with major OEM and Tier-1 customers and direct impact on real-world product performance — paired with an employer that covers 100% of medical, dental, and vision premiums, matches 401(k) contributions at 100% up to 3.5%, and provides three weeks of PTO from day one.