Staff Engineer, Modelling and Simulation (R6248)

The role

You will build and integrate simulators and Monte Carlo infrastructure used to test autonomous pilots, GNC and runtime assurance systems at scale. This is an individual contributor role that also sets technical direction and mentors engineers.

What you will do

• Grow the simulation framework's ecosystem by integrating existing simulators and standards, and build new ones where needs are identified.
• Build reusable Monte Carlo infrastructure for parameterization, execution, reproducibility and collection of results across large simulation campaigns.
• Develop multithreaded and multi-process simulation capabilities, addressing synchronization, timing, state exchange and performance.
• Partner with autonomy, GNC and RTA engineers and field operators to turn evaluation needs into simulation interfaces and infrastructure.
• Support platform-specific performance validation using physics models such as 6DoF and 3DoF.
• Set technical direction, lead design reviews, and mentor engineers in simulation architecture and production software development.

Required qualifications

• Minimum of 10 years of related experience with a Bachelor's degree, or 9 years with a Master's degree, or 7 years with a PhD, or equivalent work experience.
• Strong proficiency in C++, with experience designing, implementing and maintaining production performance-critical software.
• Experience building and running multithreaded or multiprocess real-time simulations involving aircraft dynamics.
• Experience developing Monte Carlo infrastructure and using it to design, execute and analyze simulation campaigns.
• Ability to drive technical decisions, mentor engineers, and collaborate across software and domain engineering teams.
• Experience developing software or simulation under a defined V&V lifecycle.

Nice to have

• Experience supporting airworthiness certification, including simulation evidence for verification, validation and safety assessment (e.g., DO-178C, MIL-HDBK-516C).
• Strong Python skills for simulation tooling, experiment automation and analysis.
• Experience with distributed simulation and model interoperability standards such as HLA, DIS and FMI/FMU.
• Experience with industry-standard simulation tools such as JSBSim, FlightGear, X-Plane, Gazebo, Isaac Sim or Simulink, or equivalent.
• Experience with closed-loop autonomy simulation, including sensor inputs and interfaces between autonomy and the simulated environment.
• Experience with uncertainty modeling, statistical analysis and scenario coverage for Monte Carlo evaluation.
• Testing or operating safety-critical software (e.g., DO-178C).

Benefits

• Bonus for full-time regular employees.
• Equity for full-time regular employees.
• Benefits package for full-time regular employees.
• Temporary benefits package for temporary employees, applicable after 60 days of employment.

Before you apply

• All offers are contingent on a cleared background and possible reference check.
• Military fellows and part-time employees are not eligible for benefits.

About the company

Shield AI is a venture-backed defense-tech company that builds intelligent systems to protect service members and civilians, including Hivemind autonomy software, V-BAT and X-BAT aircraft, and Aechelon simulation technologies. It has offices and facilities across the U.S., Europe, the Middle East and Asia-Pacific.