Protective Security – Graduate Blast Consultant

Careers

Protective Security – Graduate Blast Consultant

Location:Cape Town, SA

Salary:Competitive

Contract:Permanent

Hours:Full-time

About The Role
We are looking for an enthusiastic Civil, Structural or Mechanical engineer to join our expanding design team specialising in blast modelling, damage assessment and protection engineering. Our specialist services support projects worldwide providing expert technical advice and guidance covering a diverse and challenging range of structures and material types.

The successful candidate for this role will be a recent graduate with a good academic background in engineering science and ideally, some experience of design code based substantiation using finite element analysis or computational fluid dynamics. Overall, a willingness to learn new methods, cutting-edge software and blast effects theory for a range of interesting engineering problems is important.

A key skill will be the ability to explain complex ideas and solutions to clients, designers, government advisors and wider team members in an accessible manner. Supporting projects with a set of proportionate security-based recommendations and sensible engineering solutions in line with a wider defence in depth strategy is an important focus. Creativity and innovation in thought are valued. We would describe the successful candidate as being able to 'think around corners'.

What You Will Do Within The Team

• Assist with the simulation of non-ideal blast loading using computational fluid dynamics (CFD) checked by best-practice methods of hand-calculation.
• Assist with the simulation of dynamic loading response using equivalent single degree of freedom (SDOF) methods linked to allied engineering assessment techniques.
• Assist with the establishment of reasonable blast loading performance criteria and limits of failure for a range of materials and structural elements given demanding circumstances.
• Perform important calculations to quantify the probability of human injury and building damage given a range of scenarios, limitations and statistical input parameters.
• Deliver protection engineering and code compliant design of structures and materials.
• Interpret, apply and contribute to threat & risk assessments forming the core design basis.
• Collaborate with colleagues in BIM & CAD to facilitate workflow and information management.
• Produce clear and concise analysis reports for clients, statistical summaries of blast effects, support presentations with helpful graphic explanations and attend client meetings.
• Contribute towards new and exciting research and development initiatives for Protective Security within the field of blast and ballistic loading of structures.

What We Are Looking For

• A minimum upper second class undergraduate honours degree (BEng or equivalent) in Civil, Structural or Mechanical Engineering, or integrated Masters degree (MEng or equivalent) from a reputable academic institution.
• Preferably, an additional postgraduate degree (MSc, MPhys, MPhil, PhD) in a subject area allied to the job role would be considered highly desirable e.g. materials, physics, FEA/CFD.
• Reasonable industry experience to date; or as a new graduate, a clear enthusiasm to learn complex engineering analysis methods coupled with passion for the subject. Your work and career development will be guided and advised by an expert Civil Engineer in the field.
• A reasonable understanding or appreciation of structural dynamics, high-strain rate material behaviour and integration within conventional code-based structural engineering design. Knowledge of Eurocodes or ASCE/ACI methods of design would be viewed as advantageous.
• A high-level understanding of extreme loading scenarios and the challenges of explosive dynamic actions would be considered a bonus but not essential. This extends to the application of international standards such as UFC The ability to offer an engineering opinion based upon a logical and reasoned argument is a valued skill.
• Ideally, some knowledge of CFD and data processing software such as: Air3D, Viper::Blast, BlastFOAM, ProSAir, ANSYS AutoDyn, ParaView, DPlot or basic SDOF calculators would be considered highly beneficial, but not essential. In-depth training will be provided as required.
• Complementary knowledge of FEA software applied to non-linear problems or fluid-structure interaction would be viewed as a helpful skill, such as: LUSAS NL or ANSYS Mechanical.
• Reasonable experience in writing and presenting technical findings to a range of audiences.
• Ability to act on own initiative under broader direction but remain a team player at the core.