Software Engineer (Simulation & Robotics)
Posted Updated
- We are looking for a software engineer to build and evolve the core of the Skydio Simulator — a high-fidelity, real-time digital replica of the physical world used both by customers and by Skydio’s autonomy engineers every day
- In this role, you will work deep in the simulator stack: from physics and sensor simulation, to hardware emulation, to the core architecture that runs our full autonomy software in simulation
- You will help define how simulated worlds behave, how vehicles perceive and interact with them, and how closely simulation mirrors reality
- This is a systems-heavy role focused on correctness, performance, and realism
- Core Simulator Architecture: Design, implement, and evolve the foundational architecture of the Skydio Simulator, ensuring it scales across vehicle types, environments, and use cases
- Physics and Dynamics: Improve and extend physics models governing vehicle motion, interactions with the environment, and dynamic agents
- Sensor and Hardware Simulation: Build high-fidelity simulations of cameras, IMUs, and other onboard components, including timing, noise characteristics, and hardware behavior
- Autonomy Stack Integration: Run and validate the full Skydio autonomy stack in simulation, ensuring consistency between simulated and real-world behavior
- Feature Development on Top of the Core: Implement simulator capabilities that unlock new workflows for customers and internal autonomy engineers, from training scenarios to advanced testing modes
- Performance and Fidelity: Profile, optimize, and improve simulator performance while continuously pushing realism and accuracy
- Develop core simulator components in C++ and Python, working close to real-time constraints
- Collaborate with autonomy, perception, and controls engineers to align simulation behavior with real-world systems
- Debug complex interactions between physics, sensors, autonomy logic, and rendering
- Help shape the long-term technical direction of the simulator as both a product and an internal platform
- Contribute to documentation and shared understanding of how the simulator works internally
- Prior robotics experience is not required, but curiosity about physical systems and an interest in autonomous robots is essential
- Experience building complex systems where performance, determinism, or correctness matter
- Comfort reasoning about time-synchronized systems, state machines, or real-time execution
- Ability to work in a large, evolving codebase with multiple stakeholders
- Strong software engineering experience with C++ and Python
- Interest in robotics, simulation, or physical systems (prior robotics experience is a plus, not a requirement)
- Robotics, simulation, game engines, or real-time systems
- Physics engines, sensor modeling, or hardware abstraction layers
- Experience debugging systems that span software and physical behavior
- Multithreaded or low-latency system design