POSITION PURPOSE

The Principal Engineer, Structural Dynamics & Vibration serves as BAC’s global technical authority in vibration and dynamic system behavior.

This role defines and advances the company’s analytical and experimental vibration capability, establishing technical standards, predictive models, and design methodologies that ensure structural robustness, reliability, and performance consistency across all product platforms.

The position operates at a strategic and highly independent level — integrating vibration engineering principles into BAC’s product architecture, manufacturing processes, and validation frameworks. The engineer provides leadership across new product development (NPI), sustaining engineering, and field performance improvement, ensuring BAC remains an industry leader in vibration control and structural dynamics.

NATURE & SCOPE

Reports to the Global Engineering Chief Engineer, Structural Systems.

The position functions as the technical leader and company-wide subject matter expert for structural dynamics, vibration, and rotating system behavior. It influences product design direction, sets internal vibration standards, and supports innovation initiatives across global & regional engineering teams.

PRINCIPAL ACCOUNTABILITIES

• Define and lead BAC’s global vibration and structural dynamics strategy, integrating advanced analysis and testing into product development and validation processes.

• Establish internal technical standards and best practices for vibration modeling, testing, and acceptance criteria across product lines.

• Develop predictive and physics-based models (analytical and empirical) to anticipate dynamic responses, optimize structural performance, and guide design tradeoffs.

• Provide high-level technical consultation on complex vibration challenges across global programs, often involving unconventional or novel approaches.

• Guide product architecture decisions to ensure vibration robustness early in the design cycle, balancing performance, manufacturability, and cost efficiency.

• Oversee and review FEA and experimental vibration work performed by project engineers and regional teams; ensure quality, consistency, and correlation of models with test data.

• Mentor and train engineers globally in dynamic analysis, test interpretation, and vibration mitigation techniques to elevate organizational capability.

• Drive cross-functional collaboration with design, structural, and manufacturing engineering to embed vibration control into product structures, components, and assemblies.

• Lead innovation initiatives, identifying opportunities for patentable methods, design improvements, and new vibration control technologies.

• Represent BAC externally as a technical expert — participating in professional societies, presenting at industry conferences, and contributing to standards development related to vibration and structural dynamics.

• Support executive decision-making by providing high-level technical reports, risk assessments, and feasibility evaluations for strategic product initiatives.

KNOWLEDGE & SKILLS

Required Knowledge/Skills: 

• Recognized expert with minimum of 10 years of progressive experience in structural dynamics, rotor dynamics, and vibration analysis of rotating and structural systems.

• Advanced proficiency with FEA tools (ANSYS, Abaqus, or equivalent) for dynamic, harmonic, and transient simulations.

• Demonstrated ability to develop and validate predictive models integrating test data, signal processing, and analytical calculations.

• Expertise in experimental vibration methods—including modal analysis, operational deflection shape testing, and root-cause diagnostics.

• Deep understanding of rotating machinery dynamics (unbalance, misalignment, gear/belt excitation, aerodynamic forcing, and damping mechanisms).

• Proven record of guiding design teams in implementing vibration mitigation strategies that improve reliability, reduce warranty, and enhance manufacturability.

• Proficiency in MATLAB, Python, or equivalent for signal processing, data analytics, and model correlation.

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills — capable of presenting complex engineering concepts to executives and professional audiences.

Preferred Knowledge/Skills

• Familiarity with cold-formed and fabricated steel structures and their vibration characteristics.

• Familiarity with NVH principles and acoustic correlation.

• Experience using Mathcad or equivalent tools for analytical vibration calculations.

• Knowledge of ASCE 7, AISC 360, AISI S100, and related design codes preferred.

• Experience in HVAC, rotating equipment, or industrial machinery design advantageous.

ADDITIONAL RESPONSIBILITIES

• Travel as needed to regional engineering centers in Europe and Asia, and occasionally as needed to regional manufacturing facilities and job sites.