Senior Robotics Software Engineer - Simulation

About Bonsai Robotics

Bonsai Robotics develops affordable, vision-based autonomy that makes off-road equipment smarter, safer, and more productive. We are redefining outdoor autonomy with Bonsai Intelligence, a connected platform that's inspired by biology to see, think, and act with precision like a human. We bring together advanced perception, embodied AI, integrations with equipment manufacturers, and our compact, modular Amiga vehicles to deliver reliable automation to the world's most demanding field operations—reducing costs and increasing operational efficiencies.

About the role

We are seeking a Senior Robotics Software Engineer to build and own our simulation infrastructure. The ideal candidate will create high-fidelity virtual environments that enable rapid development, testing, and validation of our autonomy stack — reducing dependence on physical field time while accelerating iteration across perception, planning, and controls.

What you'll do

• Build and maintain simulation environments that accurately model real-world field conditions — orchards, row crops, uneven terrain, variable lighting and weather.
• Develop SIL/HIL testing frameworks that exercise the full autonomy stack end to end.
• Create and maintain high-fidelity sensor models (cameras, GPS/RTK, IMUs, LiDAR) calibrated against real hardware.
• Build tooling for automated scenario generation, regression testing, and CI integration.
• Collaborate with perception, controls, and platform teams to define simulation requirements and close the sim-to-real gap.
• Model vehicle dynamics and terrain interaction for multiple robot form factors.

Strong Candidates Will Have

• Strong computer science fundamentals and systems fluency
• Bachelor's, Master's, or PhD in Computer Science, Robotics, or a related field, with 5+ years of industry experience in robotics software engineering with significant simulation focus
• Strong proficiency in C/C++ and Python
• Experience building simulation environments using platforms such as NVIDIA Isaac Sim, Unreal Engine, Gazebo, or similar
• Familiarity with physics engines (PhysX, Bullet, MuJoCo) and sensor simulation
• Deep understanding of ROS/ROS2 or similar robotics middleware
• Experience integrating simulation into CI/CD pipelines for automated testing
• Strong debugging, testing, and problem-solving skills with ability to work independently and collaboratively

Exceptional Candidates Will Also Bring

• Rust programming experience and familiarity with Zenoh
• Exposure to agricultural or off-road robotics
• Experience with digital twins or synthetic data generation for ML pipelines
• Familiarity with USD/OpenUSD scene formats
• Experience with sim-to-real transfer techniques (domain randomization, system identification)
• GPU-accelerated rendering or ray tracing for camera simulation
• Experience with Jetson or embedded deployment targets

Bonsai Robotics is an Equal Employment Opportunity employer and considers all qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, national origin, ancestry, age, disability, gender identity or expression, marital status, or any other legally protected status.