Align Technology is the industry leader and innovator in medical devices which focuses on revolutionizing the digital dental and orthodontics’ practice. Align Technology is looking for a R&D Engineer III – Simulation & Modeling for our Raleigh office. This exciting new role would be part of a culture helping to improve lives every day through digital dentistry.
The R&D Engineer III – Simulation & Modeling candidate will have exceptional skills with computational modeling skills, including cutting-edge data-driven machine learning technique and the latest physics-driven finite element methods. This role will be part of the Align Technology goal to deliver our clear aligners (Invisalign®) to our customers.
The R&D Engineer III – Simulation & Modeling performs computational modeling with machine learning and finite element methods to conduct research on dental product performance, design and develop product prototypes, and manufacturing of the final product. The engineer leverages both open-source libraries and commercial software packages to perform computational studies of product performance and is responsible for data interpretation and protocol documentation. The engineer identifies areas of product improvement and initiates feasibility studies.
Key Responsibilities
• Lead the machine learning projects for orthodontic system design and manufacturing, from initial data analysis and model development to optimization, deployment, and ongoing monitoring, leveraging massive clinical research database.
• Lead the integration of machine learning and finite element methods (FEM) to deliver physics-driven models that improve design accuracy, reduce computational costs, and scale simulations across large datasets.
• Lead cutting-edge 3D printing technologies by leveraging innovative finite element models and machine learning approaches to optimize and understand the additive manufacturing process, enhancing the production of dental and orthodontic devices.
• Lead the development of robust methods for difficult-to-model conditions leveraging advanced commercial FEA/FEM software.
• Leverage modeling, data-insight, simulation and more to optimized treatments, increase effectiveness, design products, and reduce waste.
• Work cross-functionally with the software team to deploy computational models to very large scales, with design team to integrate model-driven components into the product, with materials and process team to calibrate physical models, and with clinical team to run studies for model validation.
• Work independently to develop and evaluate new products/solutions or to adapt and improve existing ones using computational modeling and physical experiments.
• Design, build, and verify test hardware, software, and systems as needed.
• Define and conduct procedures for bench top testing to evaluate product performance, including efficacy, reliability, verification, and validation, as needed.
• Work with clinical team to conduct pilot studies and other investigations.
• Perform and document work in accordance with FDA/ISO regulations, including test protocols, test results, and other requirements.
• Communicate with professionals in the field at all levels and transition information into product improvement.
• Provide general engineering support in R&D.
Skills Knowledge & Expertise
• MS + 3 years or PhD in Biomedical/Mechanical/Computer Science/Engineering, Statistics or other related degrees/equivalent work experience.
• 5+ years coding experience with programming languages such as Python, MATLAB, C/C++ or Fortran.
• 5+ years with data processing and visualization libraries such as numpy, pandas, matplotlib, etc.
• 3+ years with hands-on experience in machine learning using traditional or deep models, such as scikit-learn, PyTorch, TensorFlow, xgboost, etc.
• 3+ years with hands-on experience in structural FEA/FEM with simulation software, such as ABAQUS, ANSYS, Comsol, Radioss, etc.
• Theoretical and experimental background in structural mechanics, biomechanics, material characterization, and finite element analysis.