Senior Software Systems Engineer - Simulation Evaluation & Validation

Zoox; San Diego (CA); Hybrid; USD 201,000 - 315,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health insurance

Zoox Stock Appreciation Rights

Amazon RSUs

Sign-on bonus

Paid time off

Long-term disability insurance

Life insurance

Job summary

Zoox seeks a data-driven engineer to develop metrics and evaluation pipelines for our GenAI-powered simulator of virtual worlds with dynamic agents and sensor data.

You will collaborate with autonomy, safety, and simulation teams to define validation criteria and perform exploratory data analysis to root-cause gaps in simulator performance as Zoox scales autonomous driving across cities.

Qualifications

• 5+ years of experience in quantitative evaluation or sensor data analysis (lidar, camera, radar)
• Proficiency in Python and data analysis with Pandas/NumPy/SQL and data visualization
• Working knowledge of applied statistical methods (histograms, distributions, hypothesis testing)
• Strong communication skills and ability to seek clarity in dynamic environments
• BS, MS, or Ph.D. in Computer Science, Robotics, or related field

Responsibilities

• Define and implement metrics to measure the accuracy of simulated sensors, agents, and environments.
• Drive consensus on validation methodologies with cross-functional teams.
• Develop evaluation strategies for simulator fidelity and lead large-scale evaluation pipelines.
• Write design proposals and communicate risks to partner teams.

Skills

Python

Data analysis (Pandas/NumPy/SQL)

Statistics basics

Communication skills

Sensor data analysis

Education

Bachelor's/Master's/PhD in Computer Science, Robotics or related field

Tools

Autonomous vehicle software stack familiarity

Job description

Simulation is central to ensuring the safety and scalability of autonomous vehicles at Zoox. In this role, you will develop metrics and evaluation pipelines to assess simulator fidelity and guide improvements to our GenAI-powered simulator of virtual worlds with dynamic agents and realistic sensor data.

You’ll collaborate with autonomy, safety, and simulation teams to define quantitative validation criteria for simulator fidelity, and use exploratory data analysis to root-cause gaps in simulator performance. Your work will directly support Zoox scaling autonomous driving across multiple cities in increasingly complex environments.

In this role, you will:

• Define and implement metrics to measure the accuracy of simulated sensors, agents, and virtual environments.
• Drive consensus on validation methodologies with cross-functional teams in Autonomy, Safety, and Simulation.
• Develop robust evaluation strategies for simulator fidelity, mine datasets, and lead their implementation in large-scale evaluation pipelines.
• Write design proposals and drive execution while proactively communicating risks to partner teams.

Qualifications:

• 5+ years of experience in quantitative evaluation, autonomous robotics, or sensor data analysis (lidar, camera, radar)
• Proficiency in Python and data analysis (e.g., Pandas, NumPy, SQL), with a strong foundation in data visualization
• Working knowledge of applied statistical methods (e.g., histograms, probability distributions, simple hypothesis testing)
• Strong communication skills and thrives in dynamic environments by proactively seeking clarity
• BS, MS, or Ph.D. in Computer Science, Robotics, or a related field

Bonus Qualifications:

• Experience with autonomous vehicle software stack (e.g., Perception, Prediction, Planning)
• Experience implementing large-scale evaluation pipelines
• Experience using applied statistics for system validation (e.g., confidence intervals, p-values)

$201,000 - $315,000 a year

There are three major components to compensation for this position: salary, Amazon Restricted Stock Units (RSUs), and Zoox Stock Appreciation Rights. A sign-on bonus may be offered as part of the compensation package. The listed range applies only to the base salary. Compensation will vary based on geographic location and level. Leveling, as well as positioning within a level, is determined by a range of factors, including, but not limited to, a candidate's relevant years of experience, domain knowledge, and interview performance. The salary range listed in this posting is representative of the range of levels Zoox is considering for this position.

• paid time off (e.g. sick leave, vacation, bereavement)
• unpaid time off
• Zoox Stock Appreciation Rights
• Amazon RSUs
• health insurance
• long-term care insurance
• long-term and short-term disability insurance
• life insurance

About Zoox

Zoox is developing the first ground-up, fully autonomous vehicle fleet and the supporting ecosystem required to bring this technology to market. Sitting at the intersection of robotics, machine learning, and design, Zoox aims to provide the next generation of mobility-as-a-service in urban environments. We’re looking for top talent that shares our passion and wants to be part of a fast-moving and highly execution-oriented team.

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Accommodations

If you need an accommodation to participate in the application or interview process please reach out to [e-mail] or your assigned recruiter.

A Final Note:

You do not need to match every listed expectation to apply for this position. Here at Zoox, we know that diverse perspectives foster the innovation we need to be successful, and we are committed to building a team that encompasses a variety of backgrounds, experiences, and skills.