Simulation and Test Engineer (Autonomous Navigation)

About Us

Andromeda Robotics is an ambitious social robotics company with offices in Melbourne and San Francisco, dedicated to creating robots that seamlessly and intelligently interact with the human world. Our first robot, Abi, is a testament to this vision—a custom-built platform designed from the ground up to be a helpful aid and intuitive partner in aged care homes. We are a passionate, collaborative team of engineers who solve some of the most challenging problems in AI and robotics. To accelerate our development and ensure Abi's reliability, we are seeking a foundational member to build out our capabilities to train and test our robot in simulation. 

Our Values

Deeply empathetic - Kindness and compassion are at the heart of everything we do.

Purposely playful - Play sharpens focus. It keeps us curious, fast and obsessed with the craft.

Relentlessly striving - With relentless ambition, an action bias and constant curiosity, we don’t settle.

Strong when it counts - Tenacious under pressure, we expect problems and stay in motion to adapt and progress.

United in action - Different minds. Shared mission. No passengers.

The Role

We are looking for a creative and driven Simulation and Test Engineer to own the build-out and implementation of Andromeda’s simulation platform. You will extend our existing simulation tools (ROS2 + Nvidia Isaac Lab and Gazebo) to create a high-quality virtual environment that will be the primary proving ground for all of Abi's software. This platform will be essential for everything from nightly regression tests of our autonomous navigation stack and long term test driven development of the autonomous stack.

Your work will directly impact the speed and quality of our development, ensuring that every software build is robust, reliable, and safe before it ever touches physical hardware.

Key Responsibilities

• Architect and Build: Design, develop, and maintain a scalable, high-fidelity simulation platform for our robot, Abi.
• Own Sim-to-Real: Develop a robust CI/CD pipeline for automated testing in simulation, enabling rapid iteration and guaranteeing software quality before deployment onto our physical robots.
• Develop Virtual Worlds: Create realistic 3D environments and dynamic multi-actor scenarios to rigorously test Abi's autonomous capabilities in a variety of situations.
• Model with Fidelity: Implement accurate models of Abi's hardware, including sensors (cameras, microphones, LiDAR, etc.), actuators, and kinematics.
• Integrate and Collaborate: Work closely with the robotics, AI, and software teams to seamlessly integrate their stacks into the simulation and define testing requirements.
• Analyze and Improve: Develop metrics, tools, and dashboards to analyze simulation data, identify bugs, track performance, and provide actionable feedback to the engineering teams.
• Develop and refine test cases: Take real world examples and use cases and translate them into simulation for regression, safety and efficacy testing.

Ideally You Have

• BS or MS in Computer Science, Robotics, Engineering, or a related field.
• 6+ years of professional experience developing simulation environments for complex systems like robots, autonomous vehicles, or drones.
• Strong programming proficiency in C++ and Python.
• Hands-on experience with robotics simulation platforms with ROS2 (e.g., NVIDIA Isaac Lab, Gazebo, CARLA, AirSim) and physics engines (e.g., PhysX, MuJoCo).
• Solid understanding of core robotics principles (kinematics, dynamics, perception, and control).
• Experience with ROS/ROS2.
• A proactive, first-principles thinker who is excited by the prospect of owning a critical system at an early-stage startup.
• Experience with assisting in the certification of an autonomous vehicle (eg. ISO-13482)

Bonus Points

• PhD in a relevant field.
• Experience using simulation for machine learning applications, such as reinforcement learning, imitation learning, or synthetic data generation.
• Experience with 3D modelling, game engines (Unreal Engine, Unity), and content generation.
• Knowledge of sensor modelling techniques for cameras, LiDAR.
• Experience building and managing large-scale, cloud-based simulation infrastructure.
• Experience with robotics in human rated environments.

The salary for this position may vary depending on factors such as job-related knowledge, skills, and experience. The total compensation package may also include additional benefits or components based on the specific role. Details will be provided if an employment offer is made.

If you’re excited about this role but don’t meet every requirement, that’s okay—we encourage you to apply. At Andromeda Robotics, we celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees. Let’s build the future together.

We are an equal opportunity employer and value diversity at our company. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, colour, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, or disability status.