Senior Structural Engineer - FEA Focus - FTC

Ocado

  • Hatfield, Hertfordshire
  • Contract
  • Full-time
  • 30 days ago
About UsWe are Ocado Technology and we empower global grocery retailers with cutting-edge cloud, robotics, AI, and IoT. Our Ocado Smart Platform (OSP) powers highly automated Customer Fulfilment Centres (CFCs), enabling efficient, single-pick online grocery deliveryAbout the Role12 month Fixed Term ContractWithin the Automation department, our Storage development teams focus on delivering innovative, reliable products tailored to the diverse needs of our clients and customers.As an FEA Engineer, you will play a key role in advancing the structural simulation capability behind Ocado's modular and seismic-critical storage systems. Working closely with structural engineers and cross-functional design teams, you will develop and execute high-fidelity simulations to assess structural behaviour under complex loading conditions.With deep expertise in nonlinear finite element analysis, you will be responsible for evaluating contact interactions, material nonlinearity, buckling, and fatigue performance across a wide range of system configurations. You will drive the development of automated and parametric modelling workflows, ensuring scalable, consistent, and data-rich simulations that inform critical design decisions. Your insights will directly support the structural robustness, safety, and global compliance of Ocado's next-generation infrastructure.
  • Build and manage nonlinear static and dynamic simulation models of structural assemblies, including geometric and material nonlinearity, local/global instability, and contact interfaces.
  • Develop automated, scriptable modelling workflows (Python, MATLAB, or API-driven) for model generation, meshing, job execution, and post-processing.
  • Perform modal, buckling, fatigue, and transient dynamic analyses on structural subsystems and components under multi-axial or time-varying loads.
  • Implement submodelling techniques, mesh refinement strategies, and selective detail modelling to optimise runtime without sacrificing accuracy.
  • Handle parametric scenario sweeps (load magnitudes, damping, boundary variation, mesh sensitivity).
  • Design and maintain data extraction pipelines from solvers (e.g., Ansys, Altair, GSA, SAP2000), integrating with internal databases or tooling for comparative analysis and reporting.
  • Support simulation model calibration using physical test data, sensitivity analysis, and optimisation studies.
About you
  • 5+ years of experience in advanced structural FEA within a high-complexity engineering environment
  • Deep technical capability in one or more of the following tools: Altair, Abaqus, Ansys, LS-DYNA, SAP2000, GSA, with proven work in: contact interactions and complex boundary conditions, instability and local/global buckling, nonlinear transient or implicit dynamics, fatigue damage accumulation
  • Scripting capability in Python or equivalent tools for result processing and automation
  • Evidence of data-centric thinking: ability to process and interpret large result sets meaningfully
What we offerWe believe in supporting our people with meaningful, flexible benefits that prioritise well-being and work-life balance. Here's a snapshot of what you can expect:
  • Time to recharge:
25 days annual leave (rising to 27 after 5 years), plus the option to buy more - and 30 days a year to work from anywhere in the world.
  • Health & wellbeing:
Private Medical Insurance from your first month, wellbeing support through specialist apps and EAP, plus Income Protection and Life Assurance.
  • Family-first policies:
22 weeks paid maternity/primary carer leave and 6 weeks paid paternity leave (after qualifying period).
  • Financial support:
Pension with employer matching up to 7%, share schemes (Sharesave & BAYE), and interest-free loans for train tickets.
  • Commuter perks:
Cycle to Work Scheme and free shuttle buses to/from Hatfield and Welwyn Garden City stations.
  • Exclusive discounts:
15% off at Ocado.com with free delivery (starting in your first month).Ocado Group is an equal opportunities employer and as such makes every effort to ensure that all potential employees are treated fairly and equally, regardless of their sex, sexual orientation, marital status, race, colour, nationality, ethnic or national origin, religion or belief, age, or disability or union membership status.

Ocado