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Simulator Jobs in California (NOW HIRING)

Freeform

Simulation Engineer

Los Angeles, CA · On-site

  • Medical

  • Dental

  • Vision

  • Life

  • Retirement

  • PTO

SIMULATION ENGINEER Freeform builds AI-native manufacturing systems that unify software, hardware, and physics to produce industrial-scale parts at the speed of human ideation. By treating ...

DensityAI

Simulation Engineer

Mountain View, CA

$200K - $360K/yr

... simulator's own performance * Strong software-engineering practice -- testing, CI, profiling, and debugging large long-lived codebases * (Optional) gem5 / QEMU / SystemC-TLM / Spike or custom ...

HammerheadAI

Simulation Engineer

Redwood City, CA · On-site

  • Medical

  • Dental

  • Vision

  • Retirement

These simulations are the critical training ground for our Orchestrated RL Control Agents (ORCA). Reporting to the CTO, you will model the complex interplay of power, thermal dynamics, and ...

Freeform

Simulation Engineer

Los Angeles, CA · On-site

  • Medical

  • Dental

  • Vision

  • Life

  • Retirement

  • PTO

SIMULATION ENGINEER Freeform builds AI-native manufacturing systems that unify software, hardware, and physics to produce industrial-scale parts at the speed of human ideation. By treating ...

Toyota Research Institute

Senior Simulation Engineer

Los Altos, CA · On-site

$180K - $258K/yr

  • Medical

  • Dental

  • Vision

  • Retirement

  • PTO

Build a visually realistic simulator to test full end-to-end autonomy stack behavior, from simulating sensors to motion planning, across a range of scenario conditions. * Prototype and integrate with ...

1X Technologies AS

Simulation Engineer

San Carlos, CA · On-site

$119K - $203K/yr

  • Medical

  • Dental

  • Vision

  • Life

  • Retirement

  • PTO

About the Team The Simulation team enables faster, smarter engineering decisions by building accurate digital representations of NEO and its subsystems. We develop the models and tools that allow ...

1X Technologies AS

Simulation Engineer

San Carlos, CA · On-site

$119K - $203K/yr

  • Medical

  • Dental

  • Vision

  • Life

  • Retirement

  • PTO

About the Team The Simulation team enables faster, smarter engineering decisions by building accurate digital representations of NEO and its subsystems. We develop the models and tools that allow ...

1X

Software Engineer - Simulation

San Carlos, CA · On-site

... simulator physically accurate and computationally tractable; knows how to tune contact dynamics, articulated body models, and rendering fidelity for robot learning applications • Sim-to-real ...

Freeform

Simulation Engineer

Los Angeles, CA

SIMULATION ENGINEER Freeform builds AI-native manufacturing systems that unify software, hardware, and physics to produce industrial-scale parts at the speed of human ideation. By treating ...

Humble Robotics

Simulation Engineer

San Francisco, CA · On-site +1

Position Overview Open to a range of experience levels We're looking for a software engineer to join our simulation team. You'll build the systems and tools that support closed-loop model testing ...

Apex

Simulation Engineer

Los Angeles, CA · On-site

$145K - $185K/yr

  • Medical

  • Dental

  • Vision

  • Life

  • Retirement

  • PTO

About the Role As a Simulation Engineer, you will be responsible for developing closed-loop spacecraft test platforms - such as six degrees of freedom simulation platform (6DOF), software-in-the-loop ...

1X

Software Engineer - Simulation

San Carlos, CA · On-site

The Software Engineer - Simulation will be responsible for developing and maintaining simulation environments and infrastructure that enhance robot learning, ensuring policies trained in simulation ...

DensityAI

Simulation Engineer

Mountain View, CA · On-site

$200K - $360K/yr

  • Medical

  • Dental

  • Vision

  • Retirement

  • PTO

... simulator's own performance * Strong software-engineering practice - testing, CI, profiling, and debugging large long-lived codebases * (Optional) gem5 / QEMU / SystemC-TLM / Spike or custom ...

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Showing results 41-60

All JobsSimulator JobsSimulator Jobs in California

Simulator information

See California salary details

$53.3K

$111.6K

$196.9K

How much do simulator jobs pay per year?

As of Aug 12, 2026, the average yearly pay for simulator in California is $111,624.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $80,400.00 and $127,800.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What is a simulator?

Simulators are professionals who design, operate, or maintain simulation systems used to replicate real-world processes or environments for training, research, or testing purposes. They work with software and hardware to create realistic scenarios in fields like aviation, healthcare, military, or engineering. Their work ensures that users can safely practice skills, test strategies, or evaluate equipment in a controlled virtual environment. This role often involves technical expertise, troubleshooting, and continual system improvements.

What is the difference between Simulator vs Pilot?

AspectSimulator
RoleSimulator
Primary FunctionProvides virtual training environments for pilots to practice procedures and scenarios without real aircraft
CredentialsTypically requires technical certifications or training in simulation technology
Work EnvironmentSimulation labs, training centers, or onboard aircraft for some advanced simulators
Industry UsageUsed across aviation, military, and training sectors for pilot preparation

While a Simulator is a device or system used to train pilots through virtual environments, a Pilot is a licensed professional who operates aircraft in real-world conditions. Simulators are essential tools for pilot training, but they do not replace the actual responsibilities and skills of a pilot. Both roles are interconnected, with simulators supporting pilot development and safety.

What are some typical challenges faced by professionals working as simulators, and how can they be addressed?

Professionals in simulator roles often face challenges such as ensuring the accuracy and realism of simulation scenarios, keeping up with rapidly evolving technology, and effectively collaborating with subject matter experts. Staying current with industry advancements and maintaining clear communication with team members are crucial to delivering high-quality, relevant simulations. Regular training and feedback sessions can help address these challenges, while a collaborative team environment supports ongoing learning and problem-solving.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a simulator technician?

To excel as a Simulator Technician, you need a strong background in electronics, computer systems, and mechanical troubleshooting, often supported by a technical diploma or degree. Familiarity with simulation software, control systems, and diagnostic equipment is typically required, along with certifications like CompTIA A+ or equivalent. Attention to detail, problem-solving, and effective communication are vital soft skills for addressing technical issues and supporting users. These skills ensure simulators operate reliably and safely, supporting critical training and operational objectives.
What are the most commonly searched types of Simulator jobs in California? The most popular types of Simulator jobs in California are:
What are popular job titles related to Simulator jobs in California? For Simulator jobs in California, the most frequently searched job titles are:
What job categories do people searching Simulator jobs in California look for? The top searched job categories for Simulator jobs in California are:
What cities in California are hiring for Simulator jobs? Cities in California with the most Simulator job openings:
Simulator jobs near you
Infographic showing various Simulator job openings in California as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 92% Full Time, 5% Part Time, 2% Temporary, and 1% Contract. Highlights an 98% Physical, 1% Hybrid, and 1% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $111,624 per year, or $53.7 per hour.

Modeling & Simulation Engineer

Singularity Defense Corp.

Gardena, CA • On-site

Full-time

Re-posted 21 days ago

Job description

About the Company:
We are a stealth-mode Aerospace & Defense startup headquartered in Gardena, CA. Our founding team hails from SpaceX, Anduril, and Lockheed Martin, and we are backed by Joint Staff-level military leadership and several Silicon Valley firms. With a world-class business development & leadership team already in place, we are well positioned to capitalize on already overwhelming demand.
Job Overview:
As a GNC Engineer focused on Simulations, you will lead the development of high-fidelity physics-based simulations for end-to-end missile flight and guidance validation. These simulations serve as a digital proving ground for our flight software, autonomy stack, and control systems-enabling us to iterate rapidly and validate in silico what would otherwise require expensive, slow, or impossible real-world testing.
You'll own simulation architecture, real-time physics integration, and testbed development. If you're comfortable writing performant simulation code in Rust and Python, and you're looking to do impactful work on a system that must work the first time, this is your chance.
Key Responsibilities:
  • Design high-performance 6-DOF flight and physics simulations
  • Build simulation components that replicate real-world dynamics and sensor behavior
  • Integrate guidance, navigation, and control (GNC) logic into full-stack simulations
  • Develop Monte Carlo, Hardware-in-the-Loop (HITL), and closed-loop test infrastructure
  • Collaborate closely with flight software, autonomy, and hardware teams to ensure simulation fidelity matches real-world constraints
  • Create tooling to support scenario authoring, data visualization, and performance analysis
  • Own simulation pipeline performance and determinism across a wide range of conditions

Basic Qualifications:
  • Bachelor's degree in Computer Science or a related technical field
  • 5+ years of experience building simulations or numerical modeling frameworks
  • Proficient in Rust and Python for performance-critical and test-driven development
  • Understanding of rigid body dynamics, kinematics, numerical integration, and physics
  • Experience building tools for flight dynamics, aerospace simulation, or autonomous systems

Preferred Qualifications:
  • Experience with Monte Carlo testing, sensor emulation, and closed-loop control validation
  • Familiarity with real-time systems, latency-sensitive architectures, or distributed simulation
  • Experience deploying or validating autonomous systems (missiles, drones, satellites, or vehicles)
  • Familiarity with Rust game engines or physics libraries (e.g., Rapier, Bevy)
  • Exposure to 3D rendering for simulation visualization (e.g., WebGL, OpenGL, Three.js)
  • Contributions to aerospace open source or simulation frameworks (e.g., JSBSim, Gazebo)

Itar Requirements
  • To conform to U.S. Government export regulations, applicant must be a (i) U.S. citizen or national, (ii) U.S. lawful, permanent resident (aka green card holder), (iii) Refugee under 8 U.S.C.
  • 1157, or (iv) Asylee under 8 U.S.C.
  • 1158, or be eligible to obtain the required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State. Learn more about the ITAR here.

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