Structural Mechanical Engineer
The job description
Tech stack. FEA (ANSYS Mechanical), fatigue and fracture analysis, hand calculations for structures, weld design per AWS, bolted joint analysis, vibration analysis, material selection, strain gauge testing
About the role
You will analyze and design load-bearing structures at a company manufacturing mobile crane and lifting equipment where structural failure is not an option under any circumstance. Your calculations and FEA models are what stand between a published load chart and a catastrophe: every boom, frame, and outrigger you approve will lift tons over people's heads every working day. You will design structures, prove them with analysis correlated to testing, and produce calculation packages that third-party reviewers and certification bodies accept without rework. You will analyze structures using FEA and classical methods, designing for strength, stiffness, fatigue, and buckling with margins appropriate to the application. Your calculations will be documented clearly enough to survive design review and regulatory scrutiny. You will balance structural efficiency against manufacturing cost and assembly practicality.
What you will achieve
- Deliver structural designs validated by FEA and independent hand calculations with documented safety factors meeting or exceeding applicable standards for lifting equipment.
- Complete fatigue life assessments on critical welds, joints, and stress concentrations, designing details and inspection intervals that achieve required service life with margin.
- Reduce structural weight by 10 percent or more through topology and sizing optimization while maintaining or improving safety factors and stiffness targets.
- Lead structural testing programs: strain gauge instrumentation, static load testing, and fatigue testing, correlating test data to FEA predictions and closing any gaps.
- Produce calculation packages organized and clear enough for third-party review and certification approval without rework cycles.
What you will bring
Must-haves
- 2 to 5 years of structural analysis and design experience on load-bearing equipment or structures.
- Strong FEA skills including mesh strategy, contact modeling, bolt pretension, and disciplined validation against hand calculations.
- Deep understanding of fatigue, fracture mechanics, and weld fatigue details including S-N curves and damage accumulation.
- Experience with bolted joint design: preload analysis, slip-critical versus bearing joints, and gasketed connections.
- Knowledge of structural steel design, weld symbols and AWS requirements, and relevant design codes.
- BS in Mechanical Engineering or equivalent.
Nice-to-haves
- Experience with mobile equipment, cranes, aerial lifts, or heavy machinery.
- Familiarity with dynamic, seismic, or vibration analysis for structures.
- PE license or active progress toward licensure.
- Background in lifting and rigging standards such as ASME B30.
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