Senior Engineer, Modelling and Simulation

About the role

ShieldAI is looking for a Senior Engineer in Modelling and Simulation in Melbourne to lead the development, integration and operationalisation of simulation capabilities that support Hivemind Mission Autonomy programs in Australia. The role architects, implements and maintains high-performance, real-time and faster-than-real-time simulation environments used by autonomy, perception and systems engineering teams to design, test and demonstrate uncrewed aircraft mission autonomy. It involves significant technical leadership, cross-functional collaboration and delivery of complex simulation frameworks for both customer programs and internal R&D.

Key responsibilities

• Support the design and evolution of distributed real-time simulation systems across virtual, constructive and live environments.
• Implement high-performance C++ software for modelling, simulation, integration workflows and system interoperability, including compatibility with legacy standards.
• Develop and optimise real-time and distributed simulation software supporting multi-agent scenarios and high-fidelity environments.
• Integrate defence simulation frameworks such as AFSIM or NGTS to support delivery and align with defence customer expectations.
• Design and deliver containerised simulation deployments using Docker and Kubernetes for development, CI, testing and operational environments.
• Connect simulation with autonomy algorithms, hardware interfaces and automated test pipelines with cross-functional teams.
• Drive improvements in CI/CD, test-driven development, software architecture and simulation tooling.
• Support key customer programs by delivering reliable and scalable simulation environments.

Required profile

• Tertiary qualification in Computer Science, Software Engineering, Mechatronics or a related field.
• Professional experience in software engineering and systems integration.
• Demonstrated success delivering reliable software in fast-paced engineering environments.
• Experience with real-time or distributed simulation systems.
• Ability to obtain an Australian security clearance; Australian citizenship is mandatory.

Required skills

• Strong experience with modern C++ and familiarity with legacy C++ standards.
• Professional experience with Python.
• Experience with Docker or similar containerisation technologies.
• Proficiency in Linux development environments.
• Preferred: defence industry experience, uncrewed systems (air domain), and data processing, analysis pipelines or test automation workflows.