Principal Software Development Engineer - CAD/Geometry

Autodesk; Hartford; On-site; GBP 100,000 - 125,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading software development company in the UK is seeking a Software Development Engineer to develop and maintain applications for CAD and design products. The ideal candidate will have extensive experience in software engineering, particularly with CAD platforms and 3D applications, along with strong programming skills in Python and C++. This role offers competitive compensation and opportunities to collaborate with global teams.

Benefits

Competitive salary

Annual cash bonuses

Comprehensive benefits package

Qualifications

• 8+ years of professional experience in software engineering, with a focus on CAD or 3D applications.
• Experience with distributed compute engines such as Ray, Data or Spark.
• Familiarity with graphics APIs (DirectX, OpenGL, Vulkan) and rendering techniques.

Responsibilities

• Develop and maintain backend and frontend applications for CAD and design products.
• Integrate AI/ML solutions into CAD platforms in collaboration with research scientists.
• Contribute to multi-team projects and codebases, ensuring code quality.

Skills

Proficient in cloud infrastructure services (AWS)

Strong programming skills in Python and C++

Excellent problem-solving skills

Strong communication and collaboration skills

Education

Bachelor’s degree in engineering or Computer Science

Tools

Docker

CI/CD tools

Linux operating systems

Job description

As a Software Development Engineer at Autodesk Research, you will work side‑by‑side with world‑class researchers and engineers to build new ML‑powered product features that help our customers imagine, design, and make a better world. You are a software engineer who is passionate about solving problems and building things. Your skills span across data processing, computational geometry and CAD, with a software engineering base. You are excited to collaborate with AI researchers and engineers to build AI features in Autodesk products. You are comfortable working at the intersection of research and product. Reporting Structure: You will report to an Engineering Manager in Autodesk Research.

Responsibilities

• Develop and maintain backend and frontend applications for CAD and design products
• Build and optimise data processing pipelines for 3D geometry (meshes, B‑Reps) and rendering workflows using distributed compute frameworks, i.e. Ray, Metaflow, Spark
• Integrate with and monitor CI/CD systems (e.g., Jenkins, Github actions)
• Integrate AI/ML solutions into CAD platforms in collaboration with research scientists and ML engineers
• Develop for major CAD platforms (e.g., Fusion 360), including plugins, automation tools, and interoperability solutions
• Work with graphics APIs (DirectX, OpenGL, Vulkan) and visualization engines
• Contribute to multi‑team projects and codebases, ensuring code quality and consistency
• Use version control systems (e.g., Git) to manage code changes
• Participate in code reviews and provide constructive feedback to peers
• Proactively identify opportunities to innovate and build solutions in a high uncertainty research environment
• Ensure all development activities adhere to security best practices, protecting sensitive data and mitigating security risks

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in engineering, Computer Science, or equivalent experience
• 8+ years of professional experience in software engineering, with a focus on CAD or 3D applications
• Proficient in cloud infrastructure services (AWS)
• Familiarity with Linux operating systems and bash terminals
• Experience with Docker
• Strong programming skills in Python and C++, with experience in building data pipelines
• Experience with CI/CD tools and processes
• Excellent problem‑solving skills and attention to detail
• Strong communication and collaboration skills
• Experience of developing for major CAD platforms (AutoCAD, Inventor, Fusion 360) or building CAD automation tools, and knowledge of geometry data structures (e.g., meshes, BREPs)
• Familiarity with OpenCascade
• Knowledge of 3D data processing, rendering techniques, and graphics APIs (DirectX, OpenGL, Vulkan)
• Experience with distributed compute engines such as Ray, Data or Spark
• Understanding of software architecture and design patterns
• Ability to work in an agile development environment
• Passion for learning new technologies and improving existing systems

Preferred Skills

• Experience with cloud providers (e.g., AWS, Azure, Google Cloud Platform)
• Knowledge of machine learning frameworks and libraries (e.g., PyTorch)
• Experience with front‑end technologies (e.g., JavaScript, HTML, CSS) and frameworks (e.g., React with Next.js)

The Ideal Candidate

• You demonstrate initiative to provide solutions and to learn and develop new technologies
• Comfortable building prototypes from scratch and writing maintainable code within existing codebases
• You enjoy learning and collaborating across global locations
• You are comfortable working in newly forming ambiguous areas
• You are comfortable building scalable and maintainable systems that will be relied on by others

Welcome to Autodesk! Amazing things are created every day with our software – from the greenest buildings and cleanest cars to the smartest factories and biggest hit movies. We help innovators turn their ideas into reality, transforming not only how things are made, but what can be made.

We take great pride in our culture here at Autodesk – it’s at the core of everything we do. Our culture guides the way we work and treat each other, informs how we connect with customers and partners, and defines how we show up in the world. When you’re an Autodesker, you can do meaningful work that helps build a better world designed and made for all. Ready to shape the world and your future? Join us!

Salary is one part of Autodesk’s competitive compensation package. Offers are based on the candidate’s experience and geographic location. In addition to base salaries, our compensation package may include annual cash bonuses, commissions for sales roles, stock grants, and a comprehensive benefits package.

Diversity & Belonging: We take pride in cultivating a culture of belonging where everyone can thrive. Learn more here: https://www.autodesk.com/company/diversity-and-belonging