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. We’re turning today’s impossible into tomorrow’s 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 people as we aim to make driving safer, smarter, and more connected, shaping the future of transportation on a global scale.
The Role
Are you interested in a great opportunity to work on future vehicle and propulsion programs? In this position you will promote GM's values and consider the customer's needs in material characterization and material card development! Advanced Materials Technology & Virtualization CAE Material Technical Specialists are critical for advanced material, process, and performance innovation for Product Engineering, Virtual Design Development Validation (VDDV)/Computer Aided Engineering (CAE), and Manufacturing to improve/optimize product performance and manufacturing robustness. Supporting both Product Teams and VDDV/CAE Organizations you will create brand-new products and tools through efficient and innovative use of materials and computational analysis. You will collaborate with a high-performance cross-functional team of engineers supporting battery, propulsion, and vehicle and will directly impact the quality, durability and performance of future hybrid, plug-in and battery electric vehicles manufactured by GM.
This position requires sound technical knowledge and expertise related to the functional area of computational methods and material card development, to implementing Fracture Models used in crash simulations and Material Characterization of ferrous and non-ferrous metallic alloys and joining. You will need prior experience and/or knowledge of material characterization, material selection, computational mechanics, Finite Element Analysis (FEA) & modeling, data analysis, project initiation/management/execution. Supports leading new processes and methods in line with departmental goals. Translates business objectives to meaningful work for the group.
What You'll Do
- Develop test methods, data collection, data analysis, FEA simulation models, and characterize material & joining parameters, plasticity and failure curves for material models (Material Cards) used for simulation tools by VDDV/CAE.
- Analyses of nonlinear multi-physics problems involving metallic fracture & joining models used in crash simulations.
- Coordinate and plan material virtualization Technical Development Projects (TDPs) and Advanced Technical Work (ATW) projects to support VDDV test method material card development to meet program timing.
- Perform component level testing to correlate test data to numerical model, improve material card results, and improve model predictive capability and accuracy.
- Lead/coordinate supplier CAE property data collection and facilitate materials laboratory testing and analysis.
- Initiate projects, followed by execution including POs, invoicing, budget tracking, and reporting.
- Collaborate with Material SMEs to develop LS-Dyna and material cards, as needed.
- Identify opportunities to protect GM’s intellectual property, as patents or tool method secrets and submit into GM’s patent system.
- Participate in industry/academic consortia to advance material & joining virtualization.
- Lead Advanced Material Technology & Virtualization team 5-year Roadmaps to support Virtualization deliverables.
- Develop quasi static and dynamic tests
- Populate and maintain material property databases
- Stay abreast of new analysis software technology and industry trends, including the use of AI/ML to drive efficiency into GM processes.
- Participate in cost-saving & warranty-reduction efforts
- Interact regularly with design engineers, manufacturing engineers, VDDV/CAE engineers, suppliers, purchasing and other materials engineers
- Supports CAE Material & Joining Simulation Strategy Domain (SSD) team.
- Translates business objectives to meaningful work for the group.
- High level of communication to work with others.
Your Skills & Abilities (Required Qualifications)
- Bachelor of Engineering required with a strong preference towards those with Master of Science Degree in Mechanical Engineering, Advanced Engineering or Science degree(s)
- 5+ years' experience in Engineering
- 3+ years’ experience in Finite Element Analysis (FEA) and modeling and expertise in ABAQUS, LS-DYNA, ANSA, Hypermesh, and Metapost
- Knowledge of testing metallic and non-metallic alloys including fracture testing, test methods, data analysis, material card creation
- Strong analytical skills - for data analysis, design of experiments, failure analysis, and problem-solving
- Able to manage numerous projects at the same time and prioritize as necessary
- Able to solve complex problems, often with incomplete information, to arrive at a root cause
What Will Give You A Competitive Edge (Preferred Qualifications)
- Advanced Degree (MS or PhD) in Mechanical Engineering
- 10+ years' experience in Engineering
- Understanding of coding software and ability to develop process automation tools to improve data analysis, material characterization, material card efficiency (Python, Object Oriented Programming, GUI Programming, etc.)
- Familiarity with material manufacturing processes (Metallics: Sheet, wrought, cast, etc. or Non-Metallics: injection molding, thermoforming, etc.)
- Experience with metallic and non-metallic modeling methods, characterization, and standards development
- Experience in mechanical behavior of materials, mechanical testing, data analysis, material card creation for metals – tensile, fatigue, high strain-rate tensile, fracture toughness, fatigue crack growth, and thermo-mechanical fatigue at room and elevated temperature, creep, incremental step cyclic deformation, and dynamics mechanical analysis experiments
- Understanding of the effects of temperature, humidity, loading rate, mean stress and stress concentration on material properties.
- General understanding of failure analysis and fracture mechanics
- Knowledge of industry recognized material standards - GM, SAE, ASTM, ISO, JIS, etc.
