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VAC-2026-34 – Research Engineer for validation and calibration of dynamic industrial metal forming and advanced manufacturing processes


  • Department: R6. Structural and Particle Mechanics
  • Category: PDI (R o I)
  • Location: Barcelona (Spain)
  • Contract: Temporary
  • Working day: Full time
  • Sector: Services
  • Vacancies: 1
  • Discipline: Other
  • Work modality: Hybrid

CIMNE

The International Centre for Numerical Methods in Engineering (CIMNE) is a R&D&I centre established in 1987, focused on research, technology transfer, and the dissemination of computational engineering and numerical methods in engineering.

CIMNE is a publicly owned institution, structured as a consortium between the Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya – BarcelonaTech (UPC), the Government of Catalonia, and UNESCO. Headquartered in Barcelona and part of the CERCA network of research centres in Catalonia, CIMNE has become a leading research institution in computational mechanics and engineering. Throughout its history, it has driven advances in civil, mechanical, environmental, biomedical, and interdisciplinary engineering, as well as computational physics.

The centre boasts a large international team of researchers and promotes academic exchange through a network of CIMNE Classrooms across Spain and Latin America. It has participated in thousands of research and technology projects in collaboration with companies, universities, and institutions worldwide.

Combining education and innovation, CIMNE offers master’s programmes, seminars, and doctoral training in partnership with academic institutions from around the globe. Its Publications Department disseminates research results through academic papers, while its active organisation of international conferences helps build bridges between academia and industry. As a pioneer in technology transfer, CIMNE has also launched several spin-off companies to commercialise its innovative developments.

Job description

Number of places: 1

Category: Innovation Trainee 3 (IT3)

Workplace: Barcelona

Salary (gross): 19.329,56 €

Weekly working hours: 40 hours

Contract type: Temporary

Duration: 5 months

 

Functions to be developed:

We are looking for a Research Engineer specialised in numerical simulation, validation, calibration and technical consultancy for dynamic industrial manufacturing processes, with a strong focus on metal forming and advanced joining technologies such as Friction Stir Welding. The ideal candidate must have solid experience in finite element modelling, constitutive modelling of advanced materials, calibration against experimental or industrial data, and the use of graphical user interfaces based on GiD.

  

The specific activities to be carried out are listed below:

  • Become familiar with ongoing projects and take responsibility for the technical tasks assigned within the team.
  • Perform numerical simulations for the validation, calibration and optimisation of dynamic industrial metal forming processes.
  • Develop, calibrate and validate finite element models using experimental, analytical or industrial reference data.
  • Contribute to the modelling and simulation of advanced manufacturing and joining processes, including Friction Stir Welding.
  • Analyse the constitutive behaviour of advanced metallic materials, especially aluminium alloys and other lightweight alloys used in industrial manufacturing.
  • Use GiD-based graphical user interfaces for model preparation, meshing, data definition, post-processing and interpretation of results.
  • Contribute to the validation and improvement of in-house simulation tools, including TDyn-suite, Kratos Multiphysics, Compack or similar environments.
  • Prepare technical reports, user manuals, tutorials, benchmark examples and training material for software users and industrial clients.
  • Act as beta tester for simulation software, identifying bugs, reporting errors in a structured way, proposing improvements and validating new functionalities.

 

The position offers a unique opportunity to work in a high-technology research and industrial environment, contributing to the development, validation and application of advanced numerical simulation tools for metal forming, Friction Stir Welding and other manufacturing processes.

 

Qualification system:

The requisites and merits will be evaluated with a maximum note of 100 points. Such maximal note will be obtained summing up the following points:

  • Academic qualifications: 15%
  • Training and development: 20%
  • Professional experience: 15%
  • Knowledge of the Catalan language: 15%
  • Knowledge of the English language: 10%
  • Selective tests and interview: 25% 

 

The deadline for registration to the offer ends on July 13th, 2026 at 12 noon.

 

The preselected candidates may be requested to send the documentation required in the "Requirements" and "Merits" sections, duly scanned, and may be called to go through selection tests (which might be of eliminatory nature) and / or personal interviews.

 

However, priority will be given to applications from personnel affiliated with the CIMNE consortium entities, the Polytechnic University of Catalonia (UPC), and the Government of Catalonia, provided they meet the requirements established in this call.

 

Commitment to inclusitvity:

At CIMNE, we champion workplace equity, diversity, and inclusion. We're committed to fostering a culture where everyone can thrive, leveraging diverse talents and backgrounds. We welcome all applicants regardless of color, religion, gender, origin, abilities, gender identity, sexual orientation, pregnancy or any other characteristic. Join us in building a community that values, celebrates, and respects every individual.

 

Quota Reservation:
In line with our commitment to inclusion, we reserve a percentage of our workforce for people with disabilities. We especially encourage these individuals to apply.

 

HR Excellence in Research:

CIMNE supports the principles of the European Charter for Researchers and the Code of Conduct for the Recruitment of Researchers of the European Commission, which promote a transparent, attractive, and open research labor market. In recognition of its commitment to these values, CIMNE has obtained the HRS4R (Human Resources Strategy for Researchers) seal of excellence, awarded by the European Commission. This distinction certifies that the center applies human resources policies aligned with European quality standards.

CIMNE’s HRS4R strategy includes an action plan with concrete measures, both short- and long-term, to ensure a stimulating and high-quality work environment for all research staff. You can find more information here.

 

Requirements

  • University degree in Mechanical Engineering.
  • Master degree (or PhD) on Applied Design in the field of Mechanical Engineering.
  • Specific experience in the generation of numerical models using the finite element method for industrial manufacturing processes, such as Flowforming, Additive Manufacturing or Friction Stir Welding.
  • Good command of written and spoken English. Knowledge of GiD or GiD-based pre- and post-processing environments will be required.
  • Experience with CIMNE-related simulation environments such as WeldPilot, Kratos Multiphysics, Compack and the GiD pre- and post-processor.

 

Other valued skills (not mandatory):

  1. Professional experience:
  • Specific experience in validation and calibration of numerical models for industrial manufacturing or material processing applications.
  • Experience in the analysis and simulation of metal forming, dynamic mechanical processes, contact, friction and large-deformation problems.
  • Experience in R&D or industrial consultancy projects related to advanced manufacturing, metal forming, Friction Stir Welding or material behaviour.
  1. Technical knowledge:
  • Advanced knowledge of the finite element method and non-linear numerical simulation.
  • Knowledge of computational plasticity, anisotropic plasticity, isotropic and kinematic hardening laws, damage and ductile failure criteria.
  • Knowledge of constitutive modelling and parameter calibration for aluminium alloys and other advanced metallic materials.
  • Knowledge of thermo-mechanical coupling, residual stresses and strains, fatigue, mechanical testing and design of experiments.
  • Knowledge of Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning techniques applied to plasticity, material calibration, inverse design, surrogate modelling and process optimisation.
  1. Technical skills:
  • Experience with commercial simulation tools such as ANSYS, ABAQUS, LS-DYNA, COMSOL Multiphysics, HyperMesh or similar software.
  • Ability to use CAD tools such as SolidWorks, CATIA, Siemens NX or similar, together with simulation workflows for industrial applications.
  • Experience with programming tools and languages such as Python, MATLAB, FORTRAN, C++, Linux, Microsoft Office and LaTeX.
  • Knowledge of Machine Learning libraries such as TensorFlow, Scikit-learn, PyTorch or similar libraries for predictive modelling and data analysis.
  1. Analytical capacity:
  • Aptitude for evaluating numerical results, comparing models with tests and identifying the causes of discrepancies between simulation and reality.
  • Ability to perform comparative analyses and make sound technical decisions based on numerical evidence, experimental data and industrial constraints.
  1. Communication skills:
  • Strong written and verbal communication skills in English for technical reports, user manuals, validation documents and presentations.
  • Ability to work in a multidisciplinary team with engineers, researchers, software developers, laboratory staff and industrial clients.
  • Ability to communicate complex numerical results in a clear, practical and industrially useful way.
  1. Adaptability:
  • Flexibility to work on multidisciplinary R&D and consultancy projects in different industrial manufacturing contexts.
  • Ability to manage several tasks and priorities, meet deadlines and learn new software tools, material models and numerical methods.
Job closed

  • Department: R6. Structural and Particle Mechanics
  • Category: PDI (R o I)
  • Location: Barcelona (Spain)
  • Contract: Temporary
  • Working day: Full time
  • Sector: Services
  • Vacancies: 1
  • Discipline: Other
  • Work modality: Hybrid