Zipline
Senior CAE Engineer - Crash Safety and Powertrain Analysis
$130K–$180K
South San Francisco, California, USA +1 · Senior · Full-time · Posted Jul 20, 2026
- Location
- South San Francisco, California, USA
South San Francisco, California, United States - Experience
- Minimum 5 years; experience in CAE, structural analysis, crash safety, durability, or an equivalent discipline.
- Visa sponsorship
- Must be eligible to work in the US.
About the job
Own crash-safety and durability analysis for Zipline aircraft and powertrain systems, using simulation and physical testing to improve structural performance and post-crash safety.
What you'll do
- Set crash-analysis strategy and develop nonlinear models for vehicle and component impact, crush, drop, and abuse events.
- Design and support mechanical test equipment and validation campaigns; correlate analysis predictions with test results.
- Analyze powertrain durability and translate results into design guidance in collaboration with design, battery, powertrain, systems, reliability, and test teams.
What they ask for
- At least 5 years of experience in CAE, structural analysis, crash safety, durability, or an equivalent discipline.
- Demonstrated ownership of full-vehicle or component crash analysis.
- Deep capability in nonlinear finite element analysis and explicit dynamics, using LS-DYNA, Abaqus/Explicit, Radioss, PAM-CRASH, or equivalent tools.
- Proficiency in CAE and CAD software, plus Python, MATLAB, or equivalent scripting tools.
Nice to have
- Crash-analysis experience in automotive, aerospace, motorsports, or another safety-critical industry.
- Knowledge of powertrain hardware such as motors, busbars, and battery packs.
Pay
USD $130,000 - $180,000 base salary (starting cash range)
Tools
LS-DYNA, Abaqus/Explicit, Radioss, PAM-CRASH, Nastran, FEMAP, ANSA, HyperMesh
Model-written summary · the original posting is authoritative