CAE Engineer- Structural

CAE Engineer – Structural

POSITION OVERVIEW

At Ascend Performance Materials, we are seeking a CAE (Computer-Aided Engineering) Engineer to join our highly skilled team of industry professionals and support our continued growth in engineering plastics.

As a member of the Ascend Performance Materials team, the CAE Engineer will conduct structural finite element analysis (FEA) simulations on polyamide components to support product development and customer applications. In addition, this role will provide mechanical engineering expertise and consultation on material performance, failure analysis, and product design to both internal teams and external customers. The position will support troubleshooting, root cause investigations, material selection, and design optimization to ensure product performance, reliability, and customer satisfaction.

This is an in-person position based in Chennai, India, and reports to the Global Application Development Manager.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

• Conduct CAE simulations to support project timelines and key program milestones.
• Support existing core applications and strategic growth initiatives by leveraging CAE tools to predict and optimize the performance of Ascend's materials in customer applications.
• Collaborate with regional CAE and application development engineers to develop, review, and manage material characterization data, simulation models, technical analyses, and customer presentations.
• Validate and correlate simulation results with physical testing and real-world component performance to improve model accuracy and reliability.
• Conduct engineering analyses to support root cause investigations, including crashworthiness, structural deformation, durability, and failure assessments.
• Optimize designs and material solutions to achieve the best balance of cost, weight, manufacturability, and performance.
• Serve as the regional application development engineering resource, providing mechanical engineering support and technical consultation to internal stakeholders and external customers.
• Support material selection, product design optimization, and failure analysis activities to address customer challenges and improve product performance.
• Develop and implement innovative simulation methodologies, analysis workflows, and best practices to support emerging applications, new customer opportunities, and advanced engineering solutions.
• Communicate technical findings and recommendations effectively through reports, presentations, and customer interactions.

REQUIRED EXPERIENCE

• Masters's degree in Mechanical Engineering or Plastic Engineering from an accredited university.
• 5 years automotive or general industrial CAE experience with knowledge of plastic applications associated with structural systems, including injection molding processing and plastic mechanical behavior.
• Experience with structural FEA tools including Abaqus and Hyperworks.
• Experience performing and interpreting static, dynamic, fatigue, and creep analyses of plastic components, including nonlinear material behavior, durability assessments, load path evaluation, and correlation of simulation results with physical testing.

At Ascend Performance Materials, we value transparency and fairness in our hiring process. We do not accept unsolicited resumes from third-party recruiters, search firms, or staffing agencies. Any resumes received from such entities will be considered the property of Ascend Performance Materials, and we will not be obligated to pay any fees for such submissions. Our Talent Acquisition Team actively engages with preferred recruitment partners who have established agreements with us. We encourage all interested candidates to apply directly through our official channels to be considered for any open positions.

About Us:

Ascend Performance Materials is the premium provider of high-quality chemicals, fibers and plastics focused on improving quality of life and inspiring a better tomorrow through innovation. We are a fully integrated material solutions provider with manufacturing facilities in North America, Europe and Asia.

Our global workforce makes the materials used to make safer vehicles, cleaner energy, better medical devices, smarter appliances, and longer-lasting apparel and consumer goods. We are committed to safety, sustainability, and the success of our customers and our communities.

Why work at Ascend?

Our vision is to be the recognized leader in the nylon 6,6 value chain, creating new possibilities with PA66 for everyone, everywhere, every day. We achieve that through living our Ascend values: OARS.

Our OARS values shape how we work, lead, and grow together. We take ownership, stay accountable, operate reliably, and support one another to deliver results safely and consistently. Through clear expectations, empowered decision-making, intentional communication, and continuous feedback, we create a culture built on action, visibility, and shared success.

Together, OARS gives us a shared language and clear direction. These values guide our decisions, shape priorities and set expectations as we move forward – aligned, focused and committed to creating performance materials that improve lives today and inspire a better tomorrow.

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, sex, national origin, age, religion, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, protected veteran status, citizenship, genetic information or other protected status under federal, state or local laws.