Senior Software Engineer, Autonomy Simulation & Validation

Job overview

The Senior Software Engineer, Autonomy Simulation & Validation role is onsite in Ann Arbor, MI. The starting cash range is $180,000–$260,000 per year. The role is on Zipline’s Autonomy Validation team, which builds infrastructure, tools, and frameworks for software validation across the Autonomy organization. Zipline’s autonomous logistics system delivers medical and commercial supplies. The engineer develops internal platforms, simulation tools, and validation infrastructure that help autonomy engineers test system behavior at scale and release software with confidence. The work supports safe, measurable, and production-ready autonomy across planning, perception, and control.

What you'll do

• Build and own infrastructure for validating autonomous features and system performance across planning, perception, and control
• develop simulation tools and scenario generation for large-scale, high-fidelity testing
• create custom validation tools integrated with the internal autonomy development stack
• automate running, tracking, and analyzing validation tasks
• collaborate with autonomy, systems, data, flight-test, and QA teams
• establish release-validation practices
• contribute to documentation, standards, and workflows
• define validation methodologies and metrics.

What we're looking for

Skills & competencies

senior software engineer

autonomy simulation & validation

ann arbor mi

zipline

$180,000–$260,000/year

autonomy validation

simulation systems

scenario generation

c++

rust

safety validation

planning perception and control

autonomous logistics

Work arrangement

• Weekend coverage required

Benefits & perks

• Potential total compensation may include equity, discretionary annual or performance bonuses, sales incentives, medical, dental and vision insurance, and paid time off.

Why this role

The posting lists a starting cash range of $180,000–$260,000, with Senior Software Engineer and Staff Software Engineer levels. Desired experience includes software systems for simulation, testing, or safety validation and proficiency in C++, Rust, or C.

About the employer

Zipline is hiring for this role. Industry: Custom Computer Programming Services. Sector: 54.