Mechanical Product Validation Engineer II

Inside the Role 

This position is responsible for managing and coordinating failure analysis documentation in collaboration with cross-functional teams and global counterparts to accurately identify the root causes of early bench test failures for Class 8 Heavy-Duty Truck - non-driven front, conventional, and electric driven rear axles.  

We Take Care of Our Team 

Position offers an annual salary of $122,207.00.  

Benefits include annual bonus program; 401k company contribution with company match up to 6% as well as non-elective company contribution of 3 - 7% depending on age; starting at 4 weeks paid vacation; 13+ calendar holidays; 8 weeks paid parental leave; employee assistance program; comprehensive healthcare plans and wellness programs; onsite fitness (at some locations); tuition assistance and volunteer paid time off; short-term and long-term disability plans. 

What You Drive at DTNA 

• Manage and coordinate failure analysis documentation in collaboration with cross-functional teams and global counterparts to accurately identify the root causes of early bench test failures for Class 8 Heavy-Duty Truck - non-driven front, conventional, and electric driven rear axles. Commission and certify heavy-duty class 8 truck fatigue test rigs, ensuring compliance with Daimler standards. Employ advanced signal processing techniques for accurate strain and load measurements and fatigue analysis. Design and develop structural durability test rigs replicating real-world road load-measured strain for Class 8 heavy-duty trucks, ensuring precise correlation between measured strain gauge data and NX Nastran simulation models. Conduct comprehensive statistical analysis and fatigue life estimations to validate the durability and reliability of Class 8 Heavy-Duty Truck - non-driven front, conventional, and electric driven rear axles using nCode software and Reliasoft Weibull++ under real-world loading conditions through global collaboration. Leverage expertise in front and rear axle suspension interfaces and subsystem-level knowledge to validate test rig setups. Ensure compliance with durability calculations by applying industry-standard fatigue life prediction methodologies, including rain flow counting, critical plane analysis, and multi-axial fatigue models. Utilize road load or MBS data to correlate with test rig results, predict damage progression, and optimize test rig configurations for accurate lifespan assessments of driveline, chassis, and structural components. Determine fatigue damage for Heavy-Duty Truck - non-driven front, conventional, and electric-driven rear axles by correlating test results with NX Nastran simulation models and nCode. Leverage advanced signal processing techniques to correlate road load signals from Class 8 heavy duty trucks with MBS model outputs, real-world testing data, and virtual simulations for test rig validation. Enhance strain measurement accuracy, fatigue life prediction, and structural performance optimization using DSP in durability testing. Lead and mentor support engineers and analysts, guiding them in the systematic process steps, following standard Detroit Axle Engineering processes and methods for CAE. Provide knowledge transfer of standard methods and processes of CAD assembly setups, advanced meshing techniques (FEM/FEA), and boundary conditions to ensure simulation accuracy and quality. Manage test rig commissioning, test rig design, and CAE correlation studies, ensuring adherence to timelines, milestones, technical specifications, and Daimler truck durability standards. Identify and assess potential risks, delays, or technical issues, communicating them to middle management and collaborating with cross-functional teams to implement corrective actions and mitigate project disruptions. Drive innovative design solutions by collaborating with Product Design, Validation Engineering to enhance the structural integrity and durability of Heavy-Duty Truck – nondriven front, conventional, and electric-driven rear axles. Collaborate with international FEA and durability testing teams to streamline the simulation and testing processes and ensure the timely delivery of results. Support validation and design decisions with accurate simulation data, strain gauge instrumentation, and real-world road load correlation. Foster cross-team collaboration to enhance project efficiency and effectiveness in commercial vehicle durability assessment. 

Knowledge You Should Bring 

• Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering. 

• 2 years of relevant experience in the automotive industry.  

• Must have experience with each of the following: Using the following CAE tools for automotive structural durability analysis: nCode Glyphworks & DesignLife, Siemens NX Nastran Suite 2312 or later (NX Modeling, Pre/Post, 401/402 Multistep, Simcenter Motion), MathCAD 10.0, and VDI 2230 (Bolt preload calculations); Correlating road load data with simulation models to verify and validate structural performance; Performing Non-Linear analysis (SOL 401) with Bolt preloaded joints; Using CAD tools for the design of test rigs and setup validation; Using nCode v25 solid weld fatigue analysis methods/processes; Performing fatigue analysis and FEA calculations for conventional front axle and rear axles on Class 8 heavy-duty trucks; Performing on-site evaluations, ensuring test setups meet technical specifications, and resolving issues through real-time guidance and corrective recommendations; Executing virtual strain gauge correlation, strain-life fatigue analysis, fatigue editing, and time series generation to match test load setups and road load data; Utilizing PDM/CAD/CAE systems such as Engineering Client, SMARAGD, ZG DokClient, and ViewCA; and Managing projects, training and mentoring junior engineers, and managing professional services or other external resources. 

• Position is based out of our office at 13400 Outer Drive West, Detroit, MI 48239. This hybrid role requires working from home and on-site at the Detroit office, so candidates must live within reasonable commuting distance of office. Note, the position requires 10% international and domestic travel annually.