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Senior Robotic Simulation Engineer Jobs (NOW HIRING)

Position Overview We are seeking talented simulation engineers to create expansive simulated worlds to scale up robotic experience. You will have a dual focus: designing high-level virtual ...

Join us as a Simulation Engineer in Holland, MI or Lake Orion, MI as we work together to bring ... Perform robotic reach & cycle time studies. * Perform system throughput studies. * Work with the ...

Join us as a Simulation Engineer in Holland, MI or Lake Orion, MI as we work together to bring ... Perform robotic reach & cycle time studies. * Perform system throughput studies. * Work with the ...

Join us as a Simulation Engineer in Holland, MI or Lake Orion, MI as we work together to bring ... Perform robotic reach & cycle time studies. * Perform system throughput studies. * Work with the ...

Join us as a Simulation Engineer in Holland, MI or Lake Orion, MI as we work together to bring ... Perform robotic reach & cycle time studies. * Perform system throughput studies. * Work with the ...

Join us as a Simulation Engineer in Holland, MI or Lake Orion, MI as we work together to bring ... Perform robotic reach & cycle time studies. * Perform system throughput studies. * Work with the ...

Join us as a Simulation Engineer in Holland, MI or Lake Orion, MI as we work together to bring ... Perform robotic reach & cycle time studies. * Perform system throughput studies. * Work with the ...

Join us as a Simulation Engineer in Holland, MI or Lake Orion, MI as we work together to bring ... Perform robotic reach & cycle time studies. * Perform system throughput studies. * Work with the ...

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Senior Robotic Simulation Engineer information

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$71.5K

$120.8K

$170.5K

How much do senior robotic simulation engineer jobs pay per year?

As of Jul 3, 2026, the average yearly pay for senior robotic simulation engineer in the United States is $120,817.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $100,500.00 and $136,500.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What does a Senior Robotic Simulation Engineer do?

A Senior Robotic Simulation Engineer is responsible for designing, developing, and optimizing simulation models for robotic systems. They use advanced software tools to create virtual environments that test and validate robot behaviors before deployment in real-world settings. Their work helps to identify potential issues, improve system performance, and reduce development costs and risks. Additionally, they often collaborate with cross-functional teams to integrate simulations with hardware and software development processes.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a Senior Robotic Simulation Engineer, and why are they important?

To thrive as a Senior Robotic Simulation Engineer, you need advanced knowledge of robotics, simulation software, algorithm development, and a relevant engineering degree. Expertise in technical tools such as ROS, Gazebo, MATLAB/Simulink, and experience with programming languages like C++ or Python is typically required. Strong problem-solving, communication, and project management skills help you collaborate effectively and drive innovative solutions. These competencies are crucial for designing, testing, and refining robotic systems in complex environments to ensure reliability and performance.

What is the difference between Senior Robotic Simulation Engineer vs Robotic Software Developer?

AspectSenior Robotic Simulation EngineerRobotic Software Developer
CredentialsBachelor's or Master's in Robotics, Computer Science, or related fields; experience with simulation toolsBachelor's or higher in Computer Science or Software Engineering; programming skills
Work EnvironmentResearch labs, robotics companies, simulation platformsSoftware development firms, robotics companies, tech startups
Industry UsagePrimarily in robotics, automation, and simulation industriesBroadly in robotics, automation, and software development sectors

The main difference is that Senior Robotic Simulation Engineers focus on developing and testing virtual models of robots to optimize performance, while Robotic Software Developers primarily write and maintain software applications for robots. The simulation engineers work heavily with simulation tools and modeling, whereas software developers focus on coding and software architecture. Both roles require programming skills and industry knowledge, but their core responsibilities differ in scope and focus.

What are some common challenges faced by Senior Robotic Simulation Engineers, and how are they typically addressed?

Senior Robotic Simulation Engineers often encounter challenges such as ensuring simulation accuracy, integrating real-world physics, and maintaining compatibility with both hardware and software updates. Addressing these requires continuous collaboration with cross-functional teams—including software developers, roboticists, and hardware engineers—to validate models and refine simulation parameters. Staying current with the latest simulation tools and regularly updating test environments also help mitigate potential discrepancies between simulated and real-world robot performance, ensuring reliable outcomes for deployment.
More about Senior Robotic Simulation Engineer jobs
What cities are hiring for Senior Robotic Simulation Engineer jobs? Cities with the most Senior Robotic Simulation Engineer job openings:
What are the most commonly searched types of Robotic Simulation Engineer jobs? The most popular types of Robotic Simulation Engineer jobs are:
What states have the most Senior Robotic Simulation Engineer jobs? States with the most job openings for Senior Robotic Simulation Engineer jobs include:
Infographic showing various Senior Robotic Simulation Engineer job openings in the United States as of June 2026, with employment types broken down into 95% Full Time, 1% Part Time, 1% Temporary, and 3% Contract. Highlights an 89% Physical, 4% Hybrid, and 7% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $120,817 per year, or $58.1 per hour.
Staff Simulation Engineer - Dexterity

Staff Simulation Engineer - Dexterity

Apptronik

Austin, TX

Other

Posted 25 days ago


Job description

JOB SUMMARY 

We are seeking a Staff Simulation Engineer to be the sole owner of dexterous hand simulation at Apptronik.

This is a high-autonomy, high-impact individual contributor role. You will define how hands are represented in simulation - from contact geometry and physics fidelity all the way through sim-to-real validation - and you will be the authoritative technical voice across Mechanical Design, Controls, and Hardware whenever simulation of the hand is in scope. There is no team beneath you, but your work directly unblocks multiple teams.

Core mandate: make simulation a reliable predictor of physical hand behavior, and own that standard end-to-end.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES or KEY ACCOUNTABILITIES

Contact Dynamics & Physics Fidelity: Own the accuracy of contact simulation for high-DOF robotic hands. Model and tune contact parameters - stiffness, damping, friction, restitution - against real hardware measurements. Develop and maintain hand-specific collision geometry (primitive decomposition, mesh optimization) to ensure simulation contact behavior matches physical interaction.
Sim-to-Real Validation: Design and execute systematic sim-to-real validation workflows. Run side-by-side comparisons of grasping stability, fingertip contact forces, and joint behavior between simulation and hardware. Drive iterative parameter calibration using real sensor data - encoders, F/T sensors, tactile arrays - until simulation predictions are quantifiably reliable
Sensor & Actuator Modeling: Build accurate models of the hand's sensing and actuation systems within simulation - including tactile sensor response, actuator dynamics (compliance, backlash), and encoder noise characteristics.
Evaluation Scene Construction: Design and implement evaluation environments and dexterity benchmarks in Isaac Lab / Isaac Sim. Own the physical property modeling - contact materials, object mass/inertia, surface textures - required for high-fidelity task simulation.
Asset Pipeline: Contribute to CAD-to-USD conversion workflows as needed - collision mesh generation, joint limit extraction, kinematic parameter import. This is infrastructure support, not a primary focus.

SKILLS AND REQUIREMENTS

Must-Have
  • 4+ years of hands-on robotic simulation experience (Senior); 7+ years (Staff)
  • Experience with robotic hands or high-DOF manipulators
  • Demonstrated experience with contact-rich simulation - not just kinematics and trajectory playback
  • Experience with physics parameter identification (sysid) or domain randomization pipelines
  • Proven ability to operate as a domain owner: setting technical direction, making independent architectural decisions, and driving cross-functional alignment through expertise
  • Strong Python skills; C++ a plus
  • Solid fundamentals: rigid body dynamics, contact mechanics, collision geometry, spatial math
  • Hardware-grounded: experience running sim-to-real comparisons with real sensor data
Nice-to-Have
  • Deep working knowledge of Isaac Sim, MuJoCo, or equivalent modern robotics simulator
  • Familiarity with tactile sensing or F/T sensor integration in simulation
  • USD proficiency: composition arcs, layers, stages
  • Background in teleoperation or motion retargeting

EDUCATION and/or EXPERIENCE 

  • MS or PhD in Robotics, Computer Science, Mechanical Engineering, or related fields.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS 

  • Prolonged periods of sitting at a desk and working on a computer
  • Must be able to lift 15 pounds at times
  • Vision to read printed materials and a computer screen
  • Hearing and speech to communicate