AI / Simulation Engineer – Fire and Explosion

Responsibilities

Develop and execute CFD-based fire and explosion simulations using:
FLACS for gas dispersion, flame acceleration, and vented/unvented deflagration analysis
FDS for gas dispersion, fire dynamics, smoke movement, heat transfer, and plume behavior
Model ESS/BESS fire and explosion scenarios, including:
Battery off-gas release and dispersion
Ignition and overpressure development
Large-scale enclosure and outdoor fire scenarios
Apply strong fundamentals in heat transfer (convection, conduction, radiation), fluid flow and turbulence, combustion, and fire dynamics
Analyze simulation outputs such as:
Temperature fields, heat fluxes, and thermal exposure
Overpressure and impulse
Gas concentration and visibility
Support performance-based fire and explosion safety design (PBD) aligned with applicable codes and standards
Interpret simulation results in the context of code intent, safety objectives, and risk reduction strategies
Assist in defining credible worst-case and design fire/explosion scenarios
Perform pre-processing, solver execution, and post-processing of CFD simulations
Support verification and validation (V&V) through comparison with:
Large-scale ESS fire test data
Literature and experimental benchmarks
Prepare clear, defensible technical reports for internal review and external customers
Work under guidance of senior fire and explosion engineers while progressively taking ownership of tasks
Collaborate with multidisciplinary teams across CFD, testing, certification, and research
Maintain high-quality documentation and adherence to established modeling workflows
Actively develop expertise by reviewing technical literature and internal best practices

Qualifications

Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Mechanical Engineering / Chemical Engineering/ Thermal Sciences/ Combustion, Fire Protection Engineering, or CFD-related disciplines
2–4 years of experience in CFD, thermal-fluid simulation, fire modeling, or related applied simulation work
Hands-on experience or project exposure to:
Fire Dynamics Simulator (FDS) and
FLACS or similar explosion / gas dispersion tools
Computer Aided Design (CAD) software (e.g. Inventor, SolidWorks)
Ability to apply engineering judgment and first principles when building simulation models
Excellent technical writing and verbal communication skills
Comfortable working independently on defined tasks within a structured engineering framework
Exposure to battery energy storage systems (BESS/ESS) or lithium-ion thermal runaway (nice to have)
Familiarity with large-scale fire testing or fire test data interpretation (nice to have)
Awareness of performance-based fire engineering concepts (nice to have)
Basic knowledge of relevant standards (e.g., NFPA 855, NFPA 68/69, IFC, international fire codes) (nice to have)
Experience with other CFD tools (ANSYS Fluent, OpenFOAM, CFX)
Experience with Python workflow automation (nice to have)
Interest in research, model validation, and advanced simulation methodologies