Staff Simulation Engineer - Foundry, DoorDash Air

The role

You will build an end-to-end aerial autonomy simulation stack at DoorDash Labs. This role involves defining simulation architecture, developing key components, and mentoring a small simulation team.

What you will do

• Architect and implement an end-to-end simulation stack for aerial autonomy at DoorDash Labs.
• Develop high-fidelity simulation capabilities including flight dynamics, contact modeling, sensor simulation, and SITL integration.
• Design and implement scalable simulation infrastructure for CI/CD, validation, and mission-level testing.
• Build cloud-deployed simulation systems for parallel testing and pilot training.
• Partner with autonomy, controls, and aircraft teams.
• Establish technical direction, architecture standards, and performance benchmarks.
• Mentor and grow a small team of simulation engineers.

Required qualifications

• Master’s or PhD in Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Robotics, Aerospace Engineering, or a related field.
• 10+ years of experience in robotics or physics-based simulation.
• Deep expertise in simulator internals including numerical integration, rigid-body dynamics, constraint solving, collision detection, rendering pipelines, and sensor simulation.
• Experience integrating simulation environments with robotics autonomy stacks.
• Proven experience architecting complex technical systems from scratch.
• Demonstrated technical leadership as a Principal Engineer or equivalent senior technical role.
• Strong system-level thinking.

Nice to have

• Experience implementing a simulator from scratch (professional or personal projects).
• Familiarity with modern robotics simulators such as MuJoCo, Gazebo, Isaac, Newton, Genesis, or similar frameworks.
• Published research in robotics simulation, dynamics, or related areas.
• Hands-on experience building and operating robotic or UAV systems.
• Experience with aerospace, UAV flight dynamics, or safety-critical autonomous systems.
• Experience deploying simulation infrastructure in cloud environments for large-scale distributed testing.

Benefits

• 401(k) plan with employer matching
• 16 weeks of paid parental leave
• Wellness benefits
• Commuter benefits match
• Paid time off
• Paid sick leave
• Medical, dental, and vision benefits
• 11 paid holidays
• Disability and basic life insurance
• Family-forming assistance
• Mental health program
• Equity grants

About the company

DoorDash is a technology and logistics company that started by enabling door-to-door delivery. The company is growing rapidly and aims to expand from food delivery to any and all goods.