Staff Engineer, XBAT Simulation (Autonomous Aircraft, UAVs) - 3510913/R3990

Job Title:

Staff Engineer, XBAT Simulation (Autonomous Aircraft, UAVs)

Type of Position:

DIRECT HIRE

Candidate Requirements:

This role is open only to US Citizens and Permanent Residents (Green Card Holders); candidates requiring visa sponsorship (e.g., H1B, F1-OPT, F1-CPT, TN, etc.) are not eligible. While a security clearance is not required, candidates may be subject to a background check and a drug screening, which could include testing for cannabis. There would be no exceptions to the drug screening (eg: for individuals with a medical marijuana card).

Job Location:

This will be an on-site role. Candidates may work out of our facilities in Frisco, TX; San Diego, CA; or Waltham, MA. Relocation assistance will be provided for non-local candidates.

Compensation:

The base salary range for this role is $158K/yr to $215K/yr per year, depending on experience and qualifications. This position is also eligible for annual performance-based bonuses and equity in the organization.

Benefits:

• Available and very competitive (health insurance, dental, vision, 401k, PTO, etc).
• This role includes a performance bonus and company equity, allowing you to share in our growth and success.

About Us:

Founded in 2015, we are a venture-backed defense technology company with a mission to protect service members and civilians through intelligent systems. In pursuit of this mission, we are building the world’s most capable AI pilot. Our autonomous flight software has successfully operated a fighter jet (F-16), a vertical takeoff and landing aircraft, and a quadcopter. We operate offices across the United States and internationally, and our products and people are actively supporting real-world operations alongside the U.S. Department of Defense and allied partners.

What You’ll Do:

This role will be a part of our Software Integration & Operations (SIO) team. This team turns frontier autonomy into mission-ready aircraft. We own the commit-to-flight pipeline - deterministic simulation at cluster scale, HIL/VIL integration, CI/CD, automated testing, and release engineering. Our goal is simple: make AI fly – safely, repeatably, and fast. As a Staff Simulation Engineer, you will be dedicated to our next-generation aircraft program, adopting our existing infrastructure to advance new capabilities. You’ll design, build, and scale C++-based simulation tools that test and validate the full aircraft software stack – from autonomy to avionics – before it ever flies. Your simulation infrastructure will enable developers to test faster, system engineers to evaluate performance earlier, and release engineers to ship with confidence. In addition, you will:

• Build and scale simulation frameworks for integrated testing of autonomy, GNC, and embedded systems in C++.
• Design deterministic, high-performance simulation tools capable of faster-than-real-time execution for development, testing, and release.
• Integrate core physics, dynamics, and system models (aerodynamics, propulsion, controls) into a unified simulation environment.
• Collaborate across autonomy, embedded, GNC, and test engineering to ensure the simulation mirrors real aircraft behavior and mission scenarios.
• Develop infrastructure for CI integration, parallel simulation execution, and automated regression testing.
• Profile, optimize, and validate C++ codebases for performance, determinism, and fidelity.
• Contribute to architecture decisions that define the next generation of aircraft simulation tools within our organization.
• Mentor engineers and guide best practices in C++, simulation architecture, and performance engineering.

Required Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s Degree or Master’s Degree in Computer Science, Aerospace, Robotics, or related field.
• 8+ years of experience in software development, with emphasis on modern C++ (C++17 or later) and performance optimization.
• Proven experience developing or integrating simulation systems for robotics, aerospace, or autonomous systems.
• Strong grasp of real-time and deterministic software design, including multi-threading, synchronization, and memory management.
• Understanding of rigid-body dynamics, kinematics, and basic flight mechanics.
• Familiarity with DevOps-integrated simulation workflows, including CI/CD and containerized environments.
• Ability to debug complex build and runtime environments (CMake, dependency management, logging, profiling tools).
• Strong collaboration and communication skills across software, hardware, and systems disciplines.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience with distributed or cloud-based simulation (e.g., cluster orchestration, Kubernetes).
• Working knowledge of Python for data analysis, test automation, or simulation orchestration.
• Familiarity with sensor and actuator modeling, and integrating avionics or autonomy software within simulation.
• Prior experience working in aerospace and autonomous vehicles

Work Environment / Other Info:

• We operate in a highly collaborative, open office environment where team members work closely together throughout the day. This structure supports fast decision-making, shared ownership, and continuous learning, and is best suited for individuals who thrive in interactive, team-based settings.
• Offer may be contingent upon a drug screen and background check (drug screen would include cannabis).
• We are proud to be an equal opportunity workplace and is an affirmative action employer. We are committed to equal employment opportunity regardless of race, color, ancestry, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, age, marital status, disability, gender identity or Veteran status. If you have a disability or special need that requires accommodation, please let us know.

How to Apply for This Job:

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