Senior Engineer, XBAT Simulation Modeling (R4546) (TX/SD/BOS)

The Rundown AI, Inc.; Dallas (TX); On-site; USD 100,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

An innovative aerospace technology firm in Dallas, TX, seeks a Senior Modeling & Simulation Engineer to contribute to next-generation aircraft programs. Responsibilities include developing simulation tools, performing verification analysis, and collaborating with multiple engineering disciplines. Candidates should have a strong background in C++ development, rigid-body dynamics, and integration of simulation systems. This role offers the opportunity to work on cutting-edge aerospace technology at the intersection of AI and aviation, ensuring safe and reliable aircraft operations.

Qualifications

• 5+ years of experience in software development, emphasizing modern C++ (C++17 or later).
• Strong understanding of rigid-body dynamics, kinematics, and basic flight and sensor mechanics.
• Proven experience in developing or integrating simulation systems for robotics or aerospace.

Responsibilities

• Develop models and infrastructure for the integrated simulation pipeline in C++.
• Design high-performance simulation tools for development and testing.
• Conduct verification and validation analysis on model tools.

Skills

C++ development

Simulation architecture

Software testing

Collaboration

Education

BS or MS in Computer Science, Aerospace, Robotics, or related field

Tools

CMake

GTest

Job description

The Aircraft Simulation team turns frontier autonomy into mission‑ready aircraft. We own the commit‑to‑flight pipeline—deterministic aircraft and mission simulation, HITL/SITL integration, CI/CD, and tooling for automated flight qualification testing. Our goal is simple: make AI fly—safely, reliably, and fast.

As a Senior Modeling & Simulation Engineer, you will be dedicated to Shield AI’s next‑generation aircraft program, contributing to our modeling and simulation tooling pipeline. You’ll design, build, and scale novel aircraft subsystem models, develop infrastructure that enables automated testing for our XBAT product line, and perform verification and validation of simulation pipelines. You will also conduct system performance analysis to evaluate expected and actual flight and mission performance using simulation tools and publish results for consumption by customers.

What You’ll Do

• Develop models and infrastructure for the integrated simulation pipeline in C++.
• Design deterministic, high‑performance simulation tools capable of faster‑than‑real‑time execution for development, testing, and release.
• Implement test scenarios and write unit, system, and regression tests.
• Collaborate across autonomy, embedded, GNC, and test engineering to ensure the simulation mirrors real aircraft behavior and mission scenarios.
• Contribute to platform‑agnostic simulation tooling to accelerate future development efforts.
• Perform verification and validation (V&V) analysis activities on model tools.
• Conduct system performance analysis and generate reports and visualizations.
• Utilize best practices in C++, simulation architecture, and performance engineering.

Required Qualifications

• BS or MS in Computer Science, Aerospace, Robotics, or related field.
• 5+ years of experience in software development, with emphasis on modern C++ (C++17 or later) and performance optimization.
• Strong understanding of rigid‑body dynamics, kinematics, and basic flight and sensor mechanics.
• Proven experience developing or integrating simulation systems for robotics, aerospace, or autonomous systems.
• Ability to debug complex build and runtime environments (CMake, CPM, package management, logging, and profiling tools).
• Experience with software testing tools (GTest, etc.).
• Experience with model V&V.
• Strong collaboration and communication skills across software, hardware, and systems disciplines.

Preferred Qualifications

• Grasp of real‑time and deterministic software design, including multi‑threading, synchronization, and memory management.
• Experience with DevOps‑integrated simulation workflows, including CI/CD and automated hardware testing environments.
• Working knowledge of Python for data analysis, test automation, or simulation orchestration.
• Familiarity with aircraft and flight physics modeling.