Senior engineer safety

About Slate

At Slate, we’re building safe, reliable vehicles that people can afford, personalize and love—and doing it here in the USA as part of our commitment to reindustrialization. The spirit of DIY and customization runs throughout every element of a Slate, because people should have control over how their trucks look, feel, and represent them.

Who We Are Looking For

The Senior Engineer, Occupant Safety CAE will develop CAE models for occupant protection virtual analysis. This engineer will be responsible for tuning airbags, seat belts, and all relevant interior components regarding their energy absorption capabilities. This role is applicable to both frontal and side impact while the development targets are laid out in the Slate occupant safety scorecard which covers the North American safety regulations as well as US consumer information protocols, and Slate’s internal due care targets. This Engineer will be responsible for keeping the occupant protection CAE model at the highest quality level with regards to latest CAD data and correct assumptions for component CAE model correlation. This will include the occasional attendance at test labs to ensure alignment between physical testing and CAE modeling assumptions. This Engineer will report to the Virtual Engineering Manager.

What You Get To Do

• Develop CAE occupant models in LS-Dyna for frontal and side impact.
• Collaborate with responsible DREs and associated component suppliers to ensure component CAE models are properly correlated and/or reasonable initial assumptions are being made.
• Collaborate with responsible DREs and associated component suppliers to ensure the proper integration of restraints and interior component CAE models into the systems model.
• Assess the system level occupant performance for all relevant impact configurations.
• Optimize the performance of the relevant components needed to meet occupant performance targets (airbags, seat belts, steering column, seats, instrument panel, interior trim, etc.).
• Collaborate with the safety structures team in case the structural performance of the BIW does not allow meeting occupant performance targets.
• Collaborate with relevant cross-functional teams in case the performance of specific components prohibits meeting the occupant performance targets (e.g., Interior, Chassis, etc.).
• Collaborate with Testing to ensure that the execution of physical tests is aligned with CAE component and system level assumptions / needs.
• Support the delivery of the occupant safety attribute with high quality CAE models during all program phases all the way through Start-Of-Production.
  
  

What You Bring To The Team

• Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Automotive Engineering, or a related field is required. Master's degree is preferred.
• 8+ years of experience and proficiency in CAE modeling for automotive safety engineering.
• Proficiency with LS-Dyna modeling, including all common pre / post-processing tools (Primer, Ansa / Meta, Hyperworks, LS-PrePost, etc.).
• Proficiency with the Humanetics CAE dummy model pre / post-processing.
• Excellent understanding of the automotive safety protocol landscape for North America (FMVSS-208/214, US-NCAP, IIHS, etc.).
• Excellent understanding of the functionalities, tuning, and CAE modeling approaches for components like:
  • Airbags for frontal and side impact protection.
  • Seat belts.
  • Seats for first and second seat row, including pelvis-thorax airbag integration.
  • Steering columns.
  • Instrument panels, including knee bolsters and passenger airbag integration.
  • Interior trim, including carpet, pillar trim, headliner, and sun visors.
• Excellent understanding of tuning knobs and parameters that affect the occupant response required to meet regulatory and consumer information test requirements with top performance (≥20% margin for regulatory requirements, GOOD for IIHS and 5-Star for US-NCAP).
• Ability to lead teams and meetings through technical tradeoffs and optimized solutions with attention to detail.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to collaborate with cross-functional teams to achieve common goals.
• Highly adaptable and proactive, excelling in fast-paced start-up and new model launch environments.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office (Outlook, Teams, Word, Excel, PowerPoint).
  
  

Physical Requirements

• Must have the ability to travel (up to 10%).
• Must have the ability to lift up to 35 pounds.
• Must have the ability to stand, walk, and perform repetitive tasks for extended periods.
  
  

WHY JOIN TEAM SLATE?

At Slate, we’re fueled by grit, determination, and attention to detail. The start-up spirit of ingenuity and resourcefulness move our business forward. Team Slate fosters a culture of excellence, innovation, and mutual respect, and is motivated by shared principles.

• Safety First
• Delight Customers
• One Team
• Relentless Improvement
• Fast, Frugal, and Scrappy
• Respectful Collaboration
• Positive Legacy
  
  

WE WANT TO WORK WITH PEOPLE THAT REFLECT THE COMMUNITIES IN WHICH WE OPERATE.

Slate is proud to be an Equal Employment Opportunity and Affirmative Action employer. We do not discriminate based upon race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, genetics, disability, age, veteran status, marital status, parental status, cultural background, organizational level, work styles, tenure and life experiences. Or for any other reason.

Slate is committed to providing reasonable accommodation for qualified individuals with disabilities in our job application procedures. If you need assistance or an accommodation due to a disability, you may contact us at [email protected].