Software Quality Simulation Specialist

Kodiak • Mountain View, CA

13d • Onsite

About The Position

Kodiak Robotics, Inc. is seeking a hands-on Simulation Operations Specialist to join the Software Quality team. In this role, you will drive improvements across large-scale simulation sets, enhance simulation workflows and tools, and help advance safe and reliable autonomous trucking technology. You will develop test plans and create simulations to test the behavior of our autonomous trucks, actively run daily simulation operations, including scenario execution, triage, and reporting. You will also improve efficiency in test planning, scenario execution, and results tracking across large-scale simulation suites. You will partner with engineering teams to ensure simulation scenarios accurately reflect real-world conditions and work closely with systems engineers on structured test design and execution, ensuring comprehensive coverage of safety-critical and edge-case scenarios. Additionally, you will share actionable insights from simulation results with autonomy software engineers to accelerate software development and validation, and collaborate with infrastructure and tools teams to enhance automation, debugging, and scaling of simulations.

Requirements

• 2+ years of experience in autonomous vehicle or robotics industry.
• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Computer Science or related field.
• 3+ years of experience in simulation, QA, or test automation, ideally in robotics or autonomous systems.
• Familiarity with python or C++ programming.
• Hands-on experience with simulation workflows or large-scale simulation testing environments.
• Strong problem-solving skills and ability to dive into technical details.
• Passion for autonomous technology and improving safety and efficiency through simulation.
• Familiarity with structured test planning and execution; experience working with systems engineers preferred.
• Great communicator with experience writing clear, concise, and detailed communication.

Nice To Haves

• Experience with Applied Intuition tools is a plus.
• Love of robots - You love to be in, around, or near robots

Responsibilities

• Develop test plans and create simulations to test the behavior of our autonomous trucks.
• Actively run daily simulation operations, including scenario execution, triage, and reporting.
• Improve efficiency in test planning, scenario execution, and results tracking across large-scale simulation suites.
• Partner with engineering teams to ensure simulation scenarios accurately reflect real-world conditions.
• Work closely with systems engineers on structured test design and execution, ensuring comprehensive coverage of safety-critical and edge-case scenarios.
• Share actionable insights from simulation results with autonomy software engineers to accelerate software development and validation.
• Collaborate with infrastructure and tools teams to enhance automation, debugging, and scaling of simulations.

Benefits

• Competitive compensation package including equity and annual bonuses
• Excellent Medical, Dental, and Vision plans through Kaiser Permanente, Cigna, and MetLife (including a medical plan with infertility benefits)
• MetLife Legal Services, Identity & Fraud Protection, Hospital Indemnity Insurance, Accident Insurance, & Critical Illness Insurance
• Flexible PTO, 10 paid holidays, and generous parental leave policies
• Long Term Disability, Short Term Disability, Life Insurance
• Wellbeing Benefits - Headspace through Cigna, Calm through Kaiser, One Medical, Gympass, Spring Health through Cigna, Rula (mental health navigation)
• Fidelity 401(k)
• Commuter, FSA, Dependent Care FSA, HSA
• Various incentive programs (referral bonuses, patent bonuses, etc.)

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level