Careers in Simulation

2nd September 2019

Robbie Balcombe, Technical Director, COMSOL Ltd
Agenda

▪ Introduction to COMSOL®
▪ An overview of computational modelling
o The history of computational modelling
o Simulation case study
o The future of computational modelling

▪ Why consider a career in computational

modelling
▪ What we look for when recruiting
▪ Some important points to remember when
applying Magnetic signature of a submarine
COMSOL
▪ Modeling and Simulation
o Ready made physics interfaces
o General mathematics interfaces
o Built-in CAD tools
o Add-on modules with specialized physics
interfaces
o LiveLink™ products to connect with partner
software
• Most major CAD tools
• MATLAB®
• Excel®

▪ Development tools
o Model Builder
o Physics Builder
o Application Builder

▪ Deploying Applications
o COMSOL Multiphysics®
• COMSOL Compiler™
o COMSOL Server™
• Browser and Windows® clients
Why Simulations are Used in R&D

▪ Simulations can account for phenomena on a variety

of length-scales
▪ Evaluate performance of designs
o Reduced experimental costs
o Non-invasive testing
o Graphically represent ‘invisible’ phenomenon

▪ Analyse interactions between different physical

phenomena
▪ Investigate a wide range of operating conditions
Thermal actuator
▪ Optimise product design
▪ With increasing environmental concerns companies
want to minimize waste
Simulation and an Optimisation Work-flow

- Dimensions - Performance
- Material Properties - Failure criteria
- Operating - etc…
Conditions
- etc…

K(χ)u=b(χ)
Simulation and an Optimisation Work-flow

Objective: f(u(χ))
Constrained Design “Black Box” &
Variables: χ u(χ) Constraints: g(u(χ))

Optimisation Algorithm
Early Days of Computational Modelling – Single Physics

▪ Using computers to understand

thermodynamics, fluid flow, structural
mechanics, was one of the first practical
uses of computers.
▪ Resources were scarce while theoretical,
continuum, mathematical models were
being formed.
▪ Pioneering researchers simplified through
a “divide-and-conquer” approach.

▪ Computational scientists focused on a

small section of the full physical spectrum,
fields like computational fluid dynamics
(CFD) and finite element analysis (FEA) for
structural mechanics.
Computational Modelling Today – Multiphysics

▪ Solvers have improved and theory

has solidified, while in parallel
hardware has gained speed and
capacity at an exponential rate.
▪ Today we have at our fingertips very
powerful machines matched with
powerful algorithms, which means
that multiphysics simulations are no
longer computationally unrealizable.

▪ “Multiphysics” describes a
simulation that combines multiple
physical phenomena.
The Evolution of Computational Modelling

Simulation
Multiphysics
applications
Single-physics software
Coding software
COMSOL Multiphysics®
All Industries Benefit from Multiphysics Simulation
Multiphysics Simulation Story:
MRI Tumor-Tracked
Cancer Treatment
University of Alberta, CANADA
Gino Fallone
Cross Cancer Institute, CANADA
Stephen Steciw and Joel St. Aubin
The Challenge
▪ The targeting of radiation therapy for
cancer involves significant uncertainty
in accurately targeting tumors
▪ MRI may be used to help by accurately
identifying the location of a tumor in
soft tissue
▪ But it has to be carried out
independently of radiation treatment
delivered by a linear particle accelerator
(Linac) as the two techniques’ physical
phenomena conflict
o The magnetic field from MRI deviate
the particles
Passive shielding for a perpendicular Linac MR system orientation
o The particle acceleration creates (magnetic field lines perpendicular to electron trajectories)
magnetic fields
The Solution
▪ Combine MRI and Linac in order to
form an ideal treatment system that
could pinpoint any tumor at all times
during treatment
o The optimal combination of MRI and
Linac and the room in which the new
installation would be housed was
evaluated with COMSOL Multiphysics

▪ Simulation played a vital role in the

progression towards clinical use of such
a combination
o The design verified through simulation Linac MR system. The integration of the two technologies, with
that designing the Linac and the MRI careful control as given by simulation, allows both to work without
influencing each other.
scanner to move together as one whole
system provided the best results
The Simulation

▪ A magnetostatic simulation was needed to

establish a means of shielding the EM
fields emanating from Linac, from MRI’s
magnetic fields
o The new shield is more than three times
lighter than the original design and
dramatically reduced the MRI’s field
inhomogeneity by more than three times
▪ COMSOL Multiphysics has also been used
to design a 30 cm long Linac particle
accelerator, generating a 10 MeV electron
beam
o This reduction in length is of major
importance because it means that the room
needed to house the Linac MR system can
be
significantly smaller Cutaway view (top) and electric field distribution of
the short 10-MeV waveguide (bottom)
The Future of Computational Modelling

▪ Democratization of Simulation
o Transfer the power of simulation from the
expert to the person actually using the
results
o Simplify models and design them to a
specific audience
o Efficiently deploy these models to this
audience

▪ Digital Twins/Industry 4.0

o Digital twin is a computerized (or digital)
version of a physical asset and/or process.
o The digital twin contains one or more
sensors that collects data to represent real-
time information about the physical asset.
The Future of Computational Modelling

Coding
Single-physics
software
Multiphysics
software
Simulation
applications
and digital
twins
?
A Simulation “app”
Why Pursue a Career in Simulation?
▪ Computational modelling is a growing
sector of industry
▪ With the increasing sophistication of
industry, computational modelling likely
to become more widely used in R&D
▪ “Democratization” of simulation demand
for simulation experts is likely to increase
▪ As industry moves towards automation
and digital twins, “virtual-realities” based
on computational models will become
more widespread
▪ Utilise the skills and understanding that Ray propagation in a Newtonian telescope consisting

you have built up during your academic

of a conic primary mirror and a flat secondary mirror

career, put them to use – “put theory into

practice”
Why Work for a Software Company?

▪ Work at the cutting edge with the

“state-of-the-art”
▪ Be exposed to a variety of
different applications of science
and engineering both in academia
an industry
▪ Work as part of a team
▪ Software companies, tend to have
a modern outlook, and provide a
good working environment for
staff
Ray propagation in a double Gauss lens
o Modern offices
o Staff perks
o Flexible working hours/location
COMSOL/Software Company Career Paths

Degree in a
Scientific Discipline

Software Applications Technical Business

Development Engineer Marketing Development/Sales

increasingly technical

increasingly business oriented

My Career Path
▪ Academic Career Path
o MENG – Mechanical Engineering (2002 – 2007)
o Ph.D – Computational Mechanics (2007 – 2011)

▪ Post-academia Career Path

o COMSOL – Applications Engineer (2011 – 2013)
o COMSOL – Technical Manager (2013 – 2016)
o COMSOL – Technical Director (2016 – present)

Generator, Rotating Machinery

Why I followed this career path
▪ When I finished my Ph.D I wanted to remain in a
technical role
▪ Was put-off pursuing a career in academic
research because of competition for places and a
lack of a clear career path
▪ I had spent a lot of my time as a student running
simulations and writing code and this was the
part that I enjoyed most
▪ I preferred being “hands-on” with software
rather than developing software
▪ I wanted to work on shorter term projects that
had a more direct application to industry
Thermally induced laser /lens focal shift
▪ Though I was uncertain whether this would be a
good fit, I made a “leap of faith”
▪ I wanted to continue to make a contribution to
the scientific community of some kind, and
didn’t want to go into “the City”
When Recruiting What Are We Looking for?

▪ Enthusiasm about science and engineering

Mobile antenna
▪ Strong understanding of the fundamentals of science

▪ Strong analytical and mathematical skills

▪ Very good problem solving skills

▪ Ability to communicate well to different audiences

▪ Ability to present well

▪ Motivation to want to develop and expand knowledge

▪ A candidate that is as versatile as possible

▪ We are not looking for simulation experts

o It is easier to learn how to setup and run
simulations than it is to learn the underlying Temperature increase in the brain due to
mobile phone antenna – RF heating
scientific theory
Some Important Things to Remember
▪ Technical competencies are only one element
that an employer is looking for “soft-skills” are
also important
▪ When writing a CV make sure:
o That your CV is clearly legible
• The most important thing when writing a CV is
formatting
o That your CV is concise
• Try to keep your CV down to 2 pages
• When applying to industry there is no need to
include all your conference contributions

▪ Don’t forget the fundamentals

o When being interviewed be ready to be asked
questions from your undergraduate studies or H-bend waveguide – electromagnetic waves
even A levels
• If you have been told to expect technical
questions, then if you are rusty then do some
revision
• “What is a partial differential equation?”
Some Important Things to Remember
▪ When asked to describe you Ph.D research be
aware of your audience
o In an interview you are likely to be asked to explain
your Ph.D research
• This can be aimed at testing how well you can
explain this to an audience of non-experts, so avoid
using language that is not generic

▪ Personalize the application to the role

o If asked to include a cover letter then do so and
include some details specific to that role

▪ Make sure you have done your research and

know exactly who and what you’re applying for
o Demonstrate that you are familiar with the company
and what they do, and also that you have an
understanding of the role you are applying for.

▪ Remember that the interviewer also wants the Permanent Magnet,

interview to go well, so they are not trying to Magnetostatics
“find you out”!
COMSOL Careers Zoetermeer, Netherlands
Account Manager
Moscow, Russia
Менеджер по продажам (Sales Engineer - Technical Account Manager)

▪ www.comsol.com/company/careers/ Stockholm, Sweden

Developer numerical algorithms
Developer Postprocessing and Visualization
Developer Structural Mechanics
Electromagnetic Applications Interface Developer
High Performance Computing (HPC) specialist
Cambridge, United Kingdom
Master thesis students
Applications Engineer: Electromagnetics
Vassa utvecklare i C++ med intresse för matematik och algoritmer
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Applications Engineer
Inside Sales Associate - Commercial Sales
Applications Engineer (Multiple Openings)
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Computational Physicist
Applikationsingeniør – strukturel mekanik
Computational Physicist: Optics
Helsinki, Finland
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Sovellusinsinööri: Virtauslaskenta
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Grenoble, France
Developer Numerical Algorithms
Business Development Manager (H/F)
RF Applications Specialist
Ingénieur(e) Développement Simulations Thermiques (H/F) - Grenoble
Sales Engineer (Multiple Openings)
Göttingen, Germany
Senior Applications Engineer
Vertriebsmitarbeiter Innen- und Außendienst (m/w/d) für
Los Altos, CA, USA
Simulationssoftware
Applications Engineer (Multiple Openings)
Bengaluru, India
Applications Engineer: Electromagnetics
Academic Sales Engineer
Applications Engineer: Multiphysics
Applications Engineer: Acoustics
Sales Engineer
Applications Engineer: CFD
Los Angeles, CA, USA
Applications Engineer: Multiphysics
Applications Engineer: Electromagnetics
Applications Engineer: Structural
Applications Engineer: Structural Mechanics
Senior Sales Account Manager
Sales Engineer/Technical Account Manager
Technical Sales Engineer
Questions?