CAE Methods Technical Specialist – Structures & Fatigue

Job Description

At General Motors our product teams are redefining mobility. Through a human-centered design process we create vehicles and experiences that are designed not just to be seen but to be felt. Were turning todays impossible into tomorrows standard from breakthrough hardware and battery systems to intuitive design intelligent software and next-generation safety and entertainment features.

Every day our products move millions of peopleas we aim to makedriving safer smarter and more connected shaping the future of transportation on a global scale.

The Role

The CAE Methods Technical Specialist Structures & Fatigue is responsible for defining advancing and industrializing world-class virtual engineering methods for structural durability fatigue fracture and manufacturing-induced performance variation across vehicle propulsion and subsystem applications. This position serves as a recognized technical expert who applies highly specialized CAE knowledge broad practical experience and strong business acumen to solve complex engineering problems that directly influence functional strategy simulation capability and product execution. This role works independently with broad latitude in decisions and actions in a complex environment. The Technical Specialist is expected to develop new or significantly improved methods workflows and systems; lead large visible technical initiatives; influence cross-functional and external stakeholders; and deliver measurable business impact through stronger predictive capability reduced hardware dependence faster learning cycles and improved product robustness. This is the top individual contributor track for the function and is intended for a professional who leads through deep technical expertise originality conceptual thinking and enterprise influence rather than through direct people management. The role may serve as an indirect leader and mentor across the organization by setting technical direction establishing best practices and raising the standard of engineering execution.

What Youll Do

• Serve as the enterprise subject matter expert for CAE methods in structures and fatigue with recognized expertise spanning durability fracture manufacturing effects material behavior and system-level structural performance simulation.
• Define the technical vision and roadmap for next-generation CAE methods that strengthen GMs virtual engineering capability and align with business priorities for quality cost timing and hardware reduction.
• Develop validate and deploy new or significantly improved simulation methods policies standards and workflows for structural and fatigue analysis across vehicle and propulsion development programs.
• Lead complex high-visibility capability development initiatives that require originality conceptual thinking and integration across multiple engineering disciplines organizations and external partners.
• Apply independent judgment to identify analyze and resolve broad and complex technical issues that influence functional objectives including issues with incomplete data competing priorities and significant downstream implications.
• Drive innovation in advanced durability and fracture technologies including but not limited to crack initiation and propagation critical distance methods multi-axial fatigue combined LCF/HCF damage creep environmental effects and manufacturing-driven performance variation.
• Translate emerging theory software capability test evidence and competitive benchmarking into practical engineering methods that improve predictive accuracy robustness and development efficiency.
• Lead cross-functional Road-Lab-Math activities and related focus group initiatives to connect simulation test design manufacturing and product development teams around common technical objectives and validated engineering decisions.
• Establish validation strategies and coordinate with testing and laboratory teams to ensure that developed methods are grounded in physical behavior statistically sound and suitable for scalable program application.
• Guide the resolution of critical product issues by assessing variation identifying root causes defining high-confidence simulation approaches and influencing optimized design or process decisions.
• Partner with software suppliers external experts consortia and peer organizations to shape tool development in areas that matter most to GM and to benchmark GM methods against industry-leading practice.
• Provide technical leadership coaching and mentorship to engineers adopting new methods and raise organizational capability through training peer reviews best-practice documentation and consultative support.
• Influence stakeholders across functions and levels including situations where differing opinions legacy practices or organizational inertia may constrain adoption of new ideas methods or approaches.
• Set objectives and success metrics for major technical initiatives and drive measurable outcomes tied to simulation accuracy process efficiency engineering quality and execution of functional strategy.
• Leverage a broad internal network of technical specialists and domain experts to close workflow gaps integrate subsystem learnings and enable end-to-end virtual development solutions.
• Continuously assess technology trends competitor methods and evolving business needs and proactively reposition priorities experiments and implementation plans to maintain GM leadership in CAE methods.

Scope & Impact

• The role delivers measurable contributions to functional outcomes by improving the fidelity efficiency scalability and business relevance of structural and fatigue simulation methods.
• Decisions made in this role influence multiple departments and functions including CAE design validation manufacturing materials and supplier engagement and may affect both current product issue resolution and long-term capability strategy.
• The role leads large technical projects with broad visibility and coordinates internal and external stakeholders to implement solutions that support GM strategic priorities.
• The role acts as an indirect leader within the function by setting technical expectations championing change and serving as a trusted resource for complex engineering decisions.

Your Skills & Abilities (Required Qualifications)

• Masters degree or Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering Aerospace Engineering Engineering Mechanics or a closely related field.
• 10 years of industry experience including significant experience in structures durability fatigue or fracture methods development.
• Extensive industry experience in virtual engineering structural analysis and CAE methods development with substantial depth in fatigue fracture and durability simulation.
• Expert knowledge of structural CAE theory methods and tools such as Abaqus HyperMesh SimLab Nastran fe-safe nCode Verity Simufact TFAT or equivalent platforms relevant to structural durability and manufacturing effects.
• Demonstrated ability to develop or significantly improve engineering methods workflows standards or systems and to translate advanced technical concepts into practical enterprise applications.
• Proven record of solving complex technical problems through independent judgment conceptual thinking and wide application of engineering principles theories and experience.
• Strong capability to lead large cross-functional technical initiatives and influence decisions without formal organizational authority.
• Demonstrated ability to communicate complex technical issues recommendations and trade-offs clearly across different disciplines and levels of the organization.
• Experience working with testing and validation organizations to correlate analysis methods with physical evidence and establish robust engineering confidence.
• Demonstrated ability to mentor and elevate other engineers through technical coaching peer review and knowledge transfer.
• Strong business acumen and understanding of how simulation methods influence program execution risk reduction investment efficiency and customer outcomes.
• Recognition by peers and stakeholders as a technical leader and trusted expert in the field.
• Demonstrated alignment with GM Behaviors including integrity customer focus innovation urgency inclusion collaboration and ownership of outcomes.

What Will Give You A Competitive Edge (Preferred Qualifications)

• Deep expertise in manufacturing effects on structural performance including weld behavior residual stress material/process variation and durability implications.
• Experience influencing commercial CAE software roadmaps or co-developing advanced methods with software suppliers and research partners.
• DFSS Black Belt or Master Black Belt certification.
• Track record of leading enterprise-level technical transformations standards deployment or capability industrialization efforts with measurable business results.
• External technical visibility through patents publications standards work conference leadership or recognized industry collaboration.

About GM

Our vision is a world with Zero Crashes Zero Emissions and Zero Congestion and we embrace the responsibility to lead the change that will make our world better safer and more equitable for all.

Why Join Us

We believe we all must make a choice every day individually and collectively to drive meaningful change through our words our deeds and our culture. Every day we want every employee to feel they belong to one General Motors team.

Benefits Overview

From day one were looking out for your well-beingat work and at homeso you can focus on realizing your ambitions. Learn how GM supports a rewarding career that rewards you personally by visiting Total Rewards resources.

Non-Discrimination and Equal Employment Opportunities (U.S.)

General Motors is committed to being a workplace that is not only free of unlawful discrimination but one that genuinely fosters inclusion and belonging. We strongly believe that providing an inclusive workplace creates an environment in which our employees can thrive and develop better products for our customers.

All employment decisions are made on a non-discriminatory basis without regard to sex race color national origin citizenship status religion age disability pregnancy or maternity status sexual orientation gender identity status as a veteran or protected veteran or any other similarly protected status in accordance with federal state and local laws.

We encourage interested candidates to review the key responsibilities and qualifications for each role and apply for any positions that match their skills and capabilities. Applicants in the recruitment process may be required where applicable to successfully complete a role-related assessment(s) and/or a pre-employment screening prior to beginning employment. To learn more visit How we Hire.

Accommodations

General Motors offers opportunities to all job seekers including individuals with disabilities. If you need a reasonable accommodation to assist with your job search or application for employment email us or call your email please include a description of the specific accommodation you are requesting as well as the job title and requisition number of the position for which you are applying.