Software Engineer - Simulation & Robotics Engineer

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. Prior robotics experience is not required, but curiosity about physical systems and an interest in autonomous robots is essential.

Responsibilities

Design, implement, and evolve the foundational architecture of the Skydio Simulator; Improve and extend physics models governing vehicle motion, interactions with the environment, and dynamic agents; Build high-fidelity simulations of cameras, IMUs, and other onboard components; Run and validate the full Skydio autonomy stack in simulation; Implement simulator capabilities that unlock new workflows for customers and internal autonomy engineers; Profile, optimize, and improve simulator performance while pushing realism and accuracy; Develop core simulator components in C++ and Python; Collaborate with autonomy, perception, and controls engineers; Debug complex interactions between physics, sensors, autonomy logic, and rendering; Help shape the long-term technical direction of the simulator; Contribute to documentation and shared understanding of how the simulator works internally

Requirements

Strong software engineering experience with C++ and Python; 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; Interest in robotics, simulation, or physical systems

Nice to have

Robotics, simulation, game engines, or real-time systems; Physics engines, sensor modeling, or hardware abstraction layers; Multithreaded or low-latency system design; Experience debugging systems that span software and physical behavior