Software Engineer – Nonlinear Solid Mechanics, High-Performance Computing

Vinci4D.ai

Software Engineer designing and optimizing nonlinear solvers for solid mechanics applications at Vinci4d. Collaborating with physicists, engineers, and developers in a hybrid work environment.

Posted 6/24/2026full-timePalo Alto • California • 🇺🇸 United StatesMid-LevelSenior💰 $190,000 - $230,000 per yearWebsite

Tech Stack

Tools & technologies

Python

About the role

Key responsibilities & impact

Design, implement, and tune solvers for geometric and material nonlinearity in solid mechanics
Develop and tune nonlinear solvers for solid mechanics, handling both geometric nonlinearity (large deformation, finite strain) and material nonlinearity (plasticity, viscoelasticity, temperature-dependent and history-dependent constitutive models)
Build and optimize the underlying linear algebra: iterative linear solvers and preconditioners for the large sparse systems arising at each Newton iteration
Port and optimize these solvers for GPU execution using CUDA, HIP, or equivalent frameworks, with a focus on memory bandwidth, occupancy, and scalability
Implement FEM discretizations for structural and thermomechanical field solves, with attention to robustness and convergence under stiff, ill-conditioned, and near-singular conditions
Contribute to a robust software engineering foundation: version control discipline, automated testing, CI/CD pipelines, and code review practices
Collaborate with domain experts to translate physical models and mathematical formulations into correct, efficient implementations
Profile and benchmark solver performance; identify and eliminate bottlenecks

Requirements

What you’ll need

3–6 years of industry or research experience in a relevant field (computational mechanics, scientific computing, computational physics, numerical simulation, or HPC)
Hands-on experience developing solvers for geometric and material nonlinearity in solid mechanics — large-deformation kinematics, nonlinear constitutive models, and the Newton-type schemes that drive them to convergence
Strong foundation in the finite element method (FEM) for solid and structural mechanics
Deep familiarity with iterative linear solvers (e.g., Krylov methods) and preconditioning techniques for large, sparse systems, with hands-on experience implementing these inside a nonlinear solver
Proven GPU programming experience (CUDA, HIP, SYCL, or similar) with a track record of getting real performance out of hardware
Proficiency in C++ and/or Python; comfort working in performance-critical codebases
Strong software engineering practices: Git workflows, code review, automated testing (unit, integration, regression), and CI/CD pipelines

Benefits

Comp & perks

Competitive compensation with equity participation
Flexible work environment

ATS Keywords

✓ Tailor your resume

Applicant Tracking System Keywords

Tip: use these terms in your resume and cover letter to boost ATS matches.

Hard Skills & Tools

nonlinear solversfinite element method (FEM)iterative linear solverspreconditioning techniquesGPU programmingC++Pythonautomated testingCI/CD pipelinesnumerical simulation

Soft Skills

collaborationproblem-solvingattention to detailcommunicationcode review practices