Head of CAE Department

Basic Function

-    Leads the European CAE team at Ferrara, Kerpen and Barcelona and coordinates CAE simulation projects, CAE material data generation and CAE methodology development for customers
-    Contributes through Computer Aided Engineering methods to Business by supporting customers in application development and optimization
-    Sets the strategic directions for developing innovative CAE methodologies and material testing  
-    Provides global technical and business coordination for CAE teams, also supporting other parts of the organization 

Roles & Responsibilities

• Manage people in accordance with HSE GoalZero, DEI and all LYB policies for people and business management
• Ensure CAE teamwork force is aware of company safety requirements, corporate and site policies, and that these policies or standards are respected and maintained
• Create a motivated, proactive, efficient workforce based on the principles of empowered team working and support the development of continuous improvement cycle within the Team. Organize and manage Team organization actively to seek for best efficiency.
• Ensure high level of team knowledge, capability and experience in terms of Computer Simulation for Part and Tool Design, in the field of applications for which LYB thermoplastic material are developed. In particular: injection molding simulation, static / creep / impact / vibration / fatigue design support through specific software tools.
• Above mentioned knowledge must allow relationship with equivalent level of expertise with customer’s CAE experts. It is about four directions: (a) numerical simulation techniques, (b) material constitutive behavior, (c) real-life application part requirements and design techniques and (d) LYB product portfolio and business directions.
• Ensure support to customer in terms of design assistance on CAE simulation methodologies, with attention to and knowledge of latest developments in CAE field.
• Manage and supervise the use of CAE software tools available in the Team, in terms of technical use and development, and relationships with supplier, challenging feature use and commercial license conditions, supporting IT
• Challenge and drive IT support to CAE team specific hardware/software/network system
• Develop internal simulation techniques to improve the quality of design process, in agreement with LYB product development both for current and innovative products.
• Define and continuously optimize approved methods to obtain material data dedicated to CAE simulations, including material testing, data elaboration and “material card” assembling and validation. Monitor consistency of each LYB CAE data with respect to said methods.
• Provide measurement of CAE-related material properties of LYB products through internal and, when convenient, external laboratories, always in agreement with business needs, CAE tool development and internal.
• Maintain an updated and efficient database of CAE material properties and “cards”, ensuring alignment with respect to current CAE needs and software and to current LYB material portfolio, in order to fulfil Customer requests for this information, always in agreement and upon approval by the Business for each request
• Actively manage fixed costs of Team and ensure annual budget of Operative Expenditures is not exceeded
• Analyze, discuss and prepare plans for investments (Capex) related to CAE team activities, and follow up their implementation
• Stimulate technical competitive knowledge within the team
• Provide evidence of LYB expertise in CAE field through presentations/papers at public conferences, articles on technical magazines
• KPIs: lead times for feedback to customer about CAE support, number of new developments and of communications (papers, customer contacts)

Minimum Qualifications

Education:

• Master’s degree in scientific areas. PhD in polymer science, mechanical engineering or equivalent preferred

Work Experience: 

•  Knowledge of polymer structure and compound concepts, and related properties affecting polymer applications and processing technologies. 
•  Knowledge of characterization methods specific for CAE applications (stress-strain as dependent on strain-rate / temperature / orientation, creep, fatigue, thermal, viscosity, pvT) and understanding of their need for every application and market
•  Knowledge and experience in numerical simulation methods and the specific use of most diffused commercial software (Moldflow or similar, LS-Dyna, Abaqus, or similar) in polymer applications, their possibilities, limitations and advantages
• Understand market trends, customer / end user needs and actual applications about design process development, and how to translate those into CAE material testing and CAE simulation techniques to be used or developed. 
•  At least 15 years’ experience in CAE activities as engineer, project leader and developer
• Experience of managing technical multi-disciplinary multi-language teams
• Willingness to travel
   

Competencies