Autonomy Simulation & Tools Engineer

San Mateo, California, United States - Full-time

Skydio is the leading US drone company and the world leader in autonomous flight, the key technology for the future of drones and aerial mobility. The Skydio team combines deep expertise in artificial intelligence, best-in-class hardware and software product development, operational excellence, and customer obsession to empower a broader, more diverse audience of drone users. From utility inspectors to first responders, soldiers in battlefield scenarios and beyond .

We are looking for an experienced software engineer to lead the development of simulation and log visualization tools that support every stage of the autonomy lifecycle. You will be responsible for building and evolving core internal platforms that allow engineers to test new ideas, diagnose system behaviors, and understand complex interactions between software and the physical world.

This role combines backend systems work with front-end visualization, and requires a strong sense of software design, developer experience, and a passion for enabling others through effective tooling. The systems you build will be used daily by autonomy developers, test engineers, and even customers — forming the foundation for iteration, validation, and insight.

Simulation Platforms
:
Expand our internal simulation capabilities to support a growing range of vehicle types, environmental conditions, and use cases — from early prototyping to continuous testing and external evaluation.

Log Playback & Analysis Tools
:
Design and build systems that allow engineers to replay recorded system behavior, with fine-grained control over how state, perception, and decisions are rendered and analyzed.

Time-Series and State Visualization
:
Develop fast, intuitive tools for inspecting complex telemetry data across time, supporting triage, debugging, and performance evaluation.

Customer-Facing Simulation Enablement
:
Contribute to the delivery of simulation capabilities to external users through web interfaces and deployment infrastructure, making them accessible for training, integration, and evaluation purposes.

Lead the design and implementation of scalable simulation and visualization tools used across autonomy development and testing workflows.

Collaborate with autonomy, QA, and infrastructure teams to gather requirements, align on priorities, and deliver impactful tooling.

Architect data pipelines that transform log and simulation data into structured, queryable formats suitable for playback and analysis.

Build frontend components and APIs that expose data insights clearly and efficiently, tailored to a wide range of technical audiences.

Contribute to the long‑term vision and roadmap for developer tools that improve debugging efficiency, test coverage, and system understanding.

3+ years of professional experience in software engineering, ideally in robotics, simulation, or systems development.

Proficiency in C++ and/or Python
, with a strong grasp of performance-sensitive and multi‑threaded systems.

Experience with simulation frameworks, time‑synchronized data systems, or state‑machine‑driven applications.

Familiarity with structured data visualization, log processing, or developer tooling design.

Strong communication skills and the ability to partner effectively with cross‑functional teams.

Comfort operating in a fast‑paced environment where requirements evolve and priorities shift.

Experience with real‑time or high‑fidelity simulation systems in robotics, aerospace, automotive, or similar domains.

Background in telemetry systems, log ingestion pipelines, or automated test environments.

Front‑end development skills in modern web frameworks (e.g., React, Type Script, Three.js, Plotly) with a focus on data interaction and visualization.

Familiarity with distributed systems or cloud‑hosted services used to support internal tools and customer applications.

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…