Software Engineer

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. Areas of Responsibility: 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. What You’ll Do: 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. Qualifications: 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 (prior robotics experience is a plus, not a requirement). Bonus Experience: 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. Compensation: At Skydio, our compensation packages for regular, full-time employees include competitive base salaries, equity in the form of stock options, and comprehensive benefits packages. The annual base salary range for this position is $170,000 - 240,000. Relocation assistance may be provided. Regular, full-time employees are eligible for health insurance and 401K. This position is in San Mateo, California, United States.

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