CAE Engineer Jobs in USA with Visa Sponsorship
CAE (Computer-Aided Engineering) engineers have excellent visa sponsorship prospects because the role requires highly specialized technical skills in simulation and analysis. H-1B is the standard path, and employers include automotive companies (Ford, GM, Tesla), aerospace firms, and engineering services companies like Altair and Ansys. The role's reliance on advanced degrees in mechanical or computational engineering makes the specialty occupation argument very strong. STEM OPT is a natural bridge for recent graduates in this field. For detailed occupation requirements, see the O*NET profile.
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INTRODUCTION
In this position, the Safety Engineer will be responsible for generating occupant CAE models through multiple stages of development. You will also conceptualize, design, engineer, develop, and support the launch of next generation Vehicle Platform Architectures for electric vehicles. You will use your skills in collaboration, systems engineering, FMA/design robustness, CAE, and safety DV efficiency to develop world class efficient vehicle architectures for frontal, side, rear, pedestrian impact, roof strength, and low speed damageability.
ROLE AND RESPONSIBILITIES
What you'll do...
- Work with Advanced Vehicle Crash Safety and Program Design teams to develop occupant CAE models in LS-Dyna for various crash modes.
- Collaborate with responsible D&Rs and associated component suppliers to ensure component CAE models are properly correlated and/or reasonable initial assumptions are being made.
- Where appropriate, conduct DOE/DFSS studies by utilizing optimization tools, to meet performance requirements within the constraints of conflicting attributes such as cost and mass.
- Support quick concept development of new and emerging ideas.
- Assess the system level occupant performance for all relevant impact configurations.
- Optimize the performance of the relevant components needed to meet occupant performance targets (airbags, seat belts, steering column, seats, instrument panel, interior trim, etc.).
- Collaborate with the safety structures team in case structural performance of the BIW does not allow meeting occupant performance targets.
- Support the creation of standard work procedures for delivering quality models and simulation results.
- Work in a cross-functional environment to identify and overcome technical challenges and meet requirements.
- Be a part of the vision of engineering excellence and a source of knowledge.
- Participate in design reviews and present design concepts. Make recommendations to improve and refine designs.
- Support the delivery of the occupant safety attribute with high quality CAE models during all program phases all the way through Start-of-Production.
BASIC QUALIFICATIONS
- B.S. in Mechanical Engineering or equivalent combination of relevant education and experience.
- Strong engineering mechanics fundamentals.
- Highly motivated and creative.
- Strong technical skills and expertise in safety and simulation, coupled with a 1st principles approach to problem solving.
- 2+ years of experience in occupant safety CAE.
- 2+ years of experience in designing and launching new safety systems from concept to production.
- Knowledge of global passive safety public domain and regulatory requirements.
PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS
Even better, you may have...
- Non-linear finite element analysis and correlation capability.
- Program experience in analysis and testing.
- Ability to work independently and collaboratively as part of a diverse global team with good communication and interpersonal skills.
- An eagerness to work cross-functionally in a dynamic environment where you are part of a high performing team.
- Ability to thrive in an ambiguous, startup environment in which the team works extremely quickly and oftentimes with little direction.
- Comfortable presenting to executive leadership and clearly articulate significant engineering and material cost efficiencies.
You may not check every box, or your experience may look a little different from what we've outlined, but if you think you can bring value to Ford Motor Company, we encourage you to apply!
COMPENSATION
This position is a salary grade 8 and ranges from $135,420-226,980.
BENEFITS
As an established global company, we offer the benefit of choice. You can choose what your Ford future will look like: will your story span the globe, or keep you close to home? Will your career be a deep dive into what you love, or a series of new teams and new skills? Will you be a leader, a changemaker, a technical expert, a culture builder…or all of the above? No matter what you choose, we offer a work life that works for you, including:
- Immediate medical, dental, vision and prescription drug coverage
- Flexible family care days, paid parental leave, new parent ramp-up programs, subsidized back-up child care and more
- Family building benefits including adoption and surrogacy expense reimbursement, fertility treatments, and more
- Vehicle discount program for employees and family members and management leases
- Tuition assistance
- Established and active employee resource groups
- Paid time off for individual and team community service
- A generous schedule of paid holidays, including the week between Christmas and New Year’s Day
- Paid time off and the option to purchase additional vacation time.
Visa sponsorship is available for this position. Candidates for positions with Ford Motor Company must be legally authorized to work in the United States. Verification of employment eligibility will be required at the time of hire.
We are an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, religion, color, age, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability status or protected veteran status. In the United States, if you need a reasonable accommodation for the online application process due to a disability, please call 1-888-336-0660.
This position is hybrid. Candidates who are in commuting distance to a Ford hub location may be required to be onsite four or more days per week. #LI-Hybrid
LI-SE1 #UEV

How to Get Visa Sponsorship as a CAE Engineer
Master FEA and CFD simulation fundamentals
Strong theoretical understanding of finite element analysis (FEA), computational fluid dynamics (CFD), and structural mechanics is the foundation of CAE engineering. Companies expect you to understand meshing strategies, solver selection, convergence criteria, and result validation - not just how to operate the software.
Target automotive OEMs and Tier 1 suppliers
General Motors, Ford, Toyota, Stellantis, and Tesla hire CAE engineers for vehicle development, primarily in the Detroit metro area. Tier 1 suppliers like Magna, BorgWarner, Aptiv, and Continental also have dedicated CAE teams and regularly sponsor visas for simulation engineers.
Specialize in a high-demand simulation area
Crash simulation (LS-DYNA), NVH (noise, vibration, harshness), thermal management for EV batteries, and aerostructural analysis are specializations with strong demand. Electric vehicle development has created particular urgency for CAE engineers with battery thermal simulation and lightweight structural design expertise.
Develop programming skills for simulation automation
Python scripting for pre/post-processing automation, APDL (ANSYS Parametric Design Language) for parametric studies, and MATLAB for engineering analysis are increasingly expected. Engineers who can automate simulation workflows and build design-of-experiments frameworks are significantly more productive and valuable to employers.
Consider aerospace and defense contractors
Boeing, Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman, and Raytheon hire CAE engineers for structural analysis, aerodynamics simulation, and thermal modeling. While some defense positions require security clearance, many commercial aerospace and R&D roles are open to H-1B sponsorship and do not have clearance requirements.
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Get Access To All JobsFrequently Asked Questions
Do automotive and aerospace companies sponsor visas for CAE engineers?
Yes, automotive and aerospace companies are among the most active sponsors for CAE (Computer-Aided Engineering) engineers. General Motors, Ford, Toyota, Boeing, Lockheed Martin, and Tesla hire CAE engineers for structural simulation, crash analysis, and thermal modeling. Tier 1 automotive suppliers like Magna, BorgWarner, and Dana also sponsor CAE professionals.
What software proficiency is required for sponsored CAE roles?
ANSYS (Mechanical, Fluent, CFX), Abaqus, Nastran, HyperMesh, and LS-DYNA are the most commonly required CAE tools. Automotive roles often emphasize crash simulation (LS-DYNA) and NVH analysis (Nastran), while aerospace roles focus on structural FEA (ANSYS, Abaqus) and CFD (Fluent, Star-CCM+). Proficiency in at least two major simulation platforms significantly strengthens your candidacy.
What degree is required for CAE engineer H-1B petitions?
A bachelor's or master's degree in mechanical engineering, aerospace engineering, civil engineering, or a related engineering discipline is required. Many CAE positions prefer a master's degree with coursework in finite element methods, computational mechanics, or fluid dynamics. The clear alignment between engineering degrees and CAE work makes H-1B petitions for this role relatively straightforward.
What is the salary range for sponsored CAE engineer positions?
CAE engineer salaries in the U.S. typically range from $75,000 to $130,000 depending on industry, location, and specialization. Automotive hubs like Detroit and aerospace centers like Seattle and Southern California are the primary hiring locations. Senior CAE engineers and simulation leads can earn above $140,000, particularly at OEMs.
What is the prevailing wage requirement for sponsored CAE Engineer jobs?
When a U.S. employer sponsors a foreign worker for a work visa, they are legally required to pay at least the "prevailing wage" — the average wage paid to workers in the same occupation, in the same geographic area, with similar experience. This is set by the Department of Labor to prevent employers from hiring foreign workers at below-market rates. The prevailing wage varies significantly by role, location, and experience level — for example, a cae engineer in California will have a different prevailing wage than the same role in a smaller state. You can look up current prevailing wage rates for any occupation and location using the OFLC Wage Search.
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