Technical Lead, Simulation

We are seeking a Technical Lead for Simulation to own the architecture of our simulation platform and the validation that gates autonomy releases. In this role, you will take simulation from log replay, to scenario suites running in continuous integration, to the pre-vehicle gates a release passes. This role will span across programs, and you will own the build-versus-buy decisions for the platform and the tooling around it. It's a hands-on role designing the simulation platform, setting the team's engineering practices, and hiring and mentoring new engineers.

What you’ll do

Platform architecture. Own the design of the simulation platform, including simulation clock and step control, run identity, determinism and reproducibility, batch execution, and log storage and indexing. Results must be reproducible and traceable to a software version.

Log replay. Own the pipeline that converts recorded logs into replayable test cases, open-loop scoring of perception and localization against ground truth, and closed-loop replay.

Scenario execution and coverage. Own the scenario schema and library, coverage definitions, and the structure of commit, nightly, regression, and release-validation suites.

Release gating. Define what a release must pass before it reaches a bench, a proving ground, or a site. Own pass criteria, reporting, and the path from a failing scenario to a resolution.

Build versus buy. Evaluate commercial simulation platforms against in-house development, make a recommendation with cost, lead time, coverage, and maintenance attached, and own the resulting vendor relationships and service levels.

Simulation fidelity. Measure where simulation and vehicle behavior agree and where they diverge, and report it as a standing metric.

Technical standard. Set the engineering practices for testing, review, documentation, and reporting of simulation results. Mentor engineers on the team and participate in hiring.

Cross-functional interfaces. Internal customers are autonomy engineering and robotics, safety, testing, and others. Represent simulation's priorities and constraints to them, and carry their requirements into the roadmap.

What we’re looking for

Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Robotics, Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or a related field with 8+ years of relevant experience

2+ years as a technical lead or engineering manager, setting technical direction and driving consensus across engineers and stakeholders.

Ownership of a simulation platform running in production continuous integration, with accountability for determinism and reproducibility, execution at scale.

Hands-on experience building log replay at scale, including scoring against ground truth and handling divergence in closed-loop replay.

Experience with scenario-based testing at the system level, covering scenario libraries, coverage definitions, and test suite architecture.

Proficiency in C++ and Python, including the ability to read, navigate, and debug large existing codebases.

Demonstrated build-versus-buy judgment on simulation or test infrastructure, including the maintenance cost the decision carried afterward.

Experience with an autonomous vehicle or robotics platform. Working understanding of autonomous systems end to end, including sensing, perception, localization, planning, and controls.

Working experience with a robotics middleware and its logging and replay tooling.

Experience handling autonomous driving or robotics sensor data across multiple modalities and timestamps, including camera, LiDAR, and radar.

Track record of mentoring engineers and raising the technical standard of a team.

Working fluency with modern AI coding and agentic development tools.

Ability to work onsite five days a week in San Francisco.

Why join us

At Atoms, you’ll work on one of the defining challenges of our time—bringing automation into the physical world to drive real, lasting impact. We exist to uncover valuable unknown truths and turn them into progress, which means constantly pushing beyond what’s known and building what doesn’t yet exist. The work is ambitious and often challenging, but it’s grounded in a shared sense of purpose and a team committed to seeing it through together. Our work only matters if it serves others, and we know that meaningful progress depends on the trust of the people we serve and the strength of our team—so we invest in both, creating an environment where you can do your best work and grow.

What else you need to know

This role is based in our San Francisco office. Atoms is a company driven by invention and continuous change - we are constantly reimagining our industries, building new products, and refining how we operate. We do our best work together. That’s why all of our office-based teams work onsite, five days a week.

The base salary range for this role is $208,000 - $263,000 per year.

Actual compensation will be determined on an individual basis and may vary depending on experience, skills, and qualifications.

Base salary is just one part of your total rewards package. You may also be eligible for equity awards.

Benefits Summary (USA Full-Time Exempt Employees):

Medical, Dental, Vision, Disability, and Life Insurance

Flexible Spending Account / Health Savings Account Options

401(k)

Equity

Sick Time, Unlimited Flexible Time Off, and Paid Holidays

Paid Parental Leave

Pre-Tax Commuter Benefit Plan

Team lunch in our SoMa office every Tuesday and Thursday

Benefits are subject to change at the company's discretion. Atoms accepts applications on an ongoing basis.

Ready to join us as we serve those who serve others?

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