Robotics Simulation Engineer

Havoc is a leader in all-domain collaborative autonomy. Its software-defined hardware approach powers military and commercial-grade autonomous systems across sea, air, and land to sense, decide, and act together in complex and contested environments. Havoc connects assets, enabling them to share information, adapt in real time, and continue operating even when communications are disrupted or denied. Havoc optimizes mission performance and minimizes human risk.

Havoc was founded in 2024 and headquartered in Providence, Rhode Island. Learn more at Havoc: All-Domain Collaborative Autonomy .

About the Role

As a Robotics Simulation Engineer, you will build the simulation environments, tools, and infrastructure HavocAI uses to develop, test, and validate autonomous systems before they reach the field.

You will create realistic, configurable simulation environments spanning autonomous boats, drones, ground vehicles, and multi-agent operations. Your work will enable engineering teams to evaluate autonomy and mission software against complex scenarios, simulated sensors, environmental conditions, and edge cases at a scale that would be difficult to reproduce in the real world.

This role sits at the intersection of robotics, simulation, software engineering, autonomy testing, and developer tooling. You’ll use platforms such as Unity and Unreal Engine while integrating directly with autonomy stacks, mission software, sensor models, and testing infrastructure.

This is a hands-on engineering role for someone who enjoys building tools that make other engineers faster and ultimately improve the reliability of systems deployed in the real world.

What You’ll Do

Simulation Development

• Build and maintain simulation environments and tools using Unity, Unreal Engine, or similar platforms.

• Develop configurable scenarios, agents, sensors, environmental conditions, mission events, and test environments.

• Support simulation across autonomous surface vessels, drones, ground vehicles, and multi-agent systems.

• Develop realistic agent behaviors, traffic patterns, environmental conditions, and edge-case scenarios.

• Use real-world field data, logs, and test results to continuously improve simulation fidelity and relevance.

Autonomy & Systems Testing

• Develop closed-loop simulation workflows that allow autonomy and mission software to operate against simulated vehicles, sensors, agents, and environments.

• Support software-in-the-loop (SIL), hardware-in-the-loop (HIL), replay, regression testing, and automated scenario evaluation.

• Integrate simulation environments with autonomy stacks, mission software, command-and-control systems, sensor models, and data pipelines.

• Build automated testing capabilities that help identify regressions and validate system behavior before field deployment.

• Partner with engineering teams to reproduce field failures and complex operational scenarios in simulation.

Simulation Tooling & Infrastructure

• Build tools for scenario generation, simulation orchestration, automated testing, visualization, debugging, and results analysis.

• Improve the repeatability and scalability of simulation-based testing across engineering teams.

• Support automated and large-scale execution of simulation scenarios where appropriate.

• Develop clear interfaces and workflows that make simulation capabilities easy for engineers to adopt and use.

• Maintain documentation, examples, and best practices for internal simulation tools.

Cross-Functional Engineering

• Partner closely with Autonomy, Software, Perception, Product, Field Operations, and Program teams.

• Translate engineering, testing, and operational requirements into useful simulation capabilities.

• Incorporate feedback from field testing and deployed systems into simulation environments and test scenarios.

• Help identify where simulation can reduce field-test cycles, accelerate development, and improve system reliability.

What We’re Looking For

• Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Robotics, Engineering, Simulation, Game Development, Applied Mathematics, Physics, or a related technical field.

• 3+ years of experience building simulation software, robotics simulation, game-engine environments, developer tooling, or automated test infrastructure.

• Hands-on experience with Unity, Unreal Engine, or similar 3D simulation platforms.

• Strong programming skills in C++, C#, Python, or similar languages.

• Experience building configurable environments, scenario systems, agent behaviors, or automated testing tools.

• Understanding of closed-loop simulation, SIL, HIL, replay testing, or automated system evaluation.

• Experience integrating complex software systems across simulation, data, and robotics workflows.

• Strong debugging and problem-solving skills.

• Ability to operate independently and take ownership in a fast-moving, ambiguous engineering environment.

• Passion for building tools that enable engineering teams to move faster and deliver more reliable systems.

• U.S. citizenship and ability to obtain and maintain a U.S. Government security clearance.

Nice to Have

• Experience simulating autonomous vehicles, sensors, robotics systems, or multi-agent environments.

• Experience with Unreal Engine, Unity, Cesium, CARLA, Gazebo, NVIDIA Isaac Sim, AirSim, or similar platforms.

• Experience with automated scenario generation, simulation orchestration, or large-scale simulation execution.

• Experience with synthetic data generation, perception simulation, sensor modeling, environmental modeling, or physics-based simulation.

• Experience integrating simulation with autonomy stacks, mission software, or command-and-control systems.

• Experience with cloud or distributed simulation and CI/CD-based regression testing.

• Familiarity with robotics middleware, telemetry systems, replay tooling, distributed systems, or real-time software.

• Experience supporting defense, aerospace, robotics, autonomy, simulation, or dual-use technology programs.

• Active or prior security clearance.

What Success Looks Like

Within your first 12 months, you will have:

• Built realistic, repeatable simulation environments that engineering teams use regularly to develop and validate autonomous systems.

• Expanded automated SIL, HIL, regression, and scenario-based testing across HavocAI’s autonomy capabilities.

• Enabled engineers to reproduce difficult field conditions and failures in simulation before returning to the field.

• Improved simulation tooling and workflows so teams can create, execute, analyze, and iterate on scenarios more quickly.

• Helped establish simulation as a core part of how HavocAI develops, tests, and validates autonomous systems before deployment.

• 100% Employer paid Health, Dental and Vision Insurance for you and your families

• Life Insurance (Employer Paid)

• Ability to participate in the companies 401k program (Matching)

• Unlimited PTO policy with an enforced 2 week minimum

• Equity Package

• Work / Home Office Stipend

• Global Entry

• 16 Week Paid Parental Leave

• Monthly Health and Wellness Stipend

• Innovation: We are driven to break new ground. Every day presents an opportunity to challenge the status quo, think boldly, and deliver advanced solutions that transform the future of defense technology.

• Integrity: We hold ourselves to the highest ethical standards, ensuring transparency, accountability, and trust in all our actions and partnerships.

• Mission-Driven: We are focused on achieving impactful outcomes that align with our core mission—protecting lives through innovation.

• Forward-Leaning: We continuously seek out new opportunities and remain at the forefront of technological advancements. We embrace change and anticipate the challenges of tomorrow with confidence and creativity.

• Ownership of All Tasks: At HavocAI, no problem is too complex or too trivial. We believe that greatness comes from tackling the hardest challenges, but also in handling the smallest, sometimes thankless, tasks with the same level of commitment and care.

• Servant Leadership: We lead by serving others, whether it’s supporting our employees, partners, or the broader community. Empowering those around us is key to achieving long-term success and making a lasting impact.

HavocAI is an Equal Opportunity Employer and is committed to creating an inclusive and diverse workplace. We welcome applicants from all backgrounds and do not discriminate based on race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, age, national origin, disability, veteran status, or any other legally protected status.