Senior Tactical Simulation Software Engineer

Senior Tactical Simulation Software Engineer
Full-time / Remote or San Diego office

Firestorm as a company grew out of the simple question: how does a US ally country with a relatively low defense budget deter an aggressor state entity with a vastly larger war chest? We’re building the very answer to that question, something we call “democratized deterrence.” Firestorm is a VC-backed, defense-meets-Silicon Valley technology company developing mission-adaptable aerial vehicles to put the power back into the hands of the operator. We aim to upend the current defense procurement cost paradigm by bringing world-class capabilities to bear at meaningfully lower costs.

We are looking for a highly skilled and motivated Senior Tactical Simulation Software Engineer to join our team, either remotely or at our San Diego office. In this role, you will be at the forefront of developing and implementing advanced simulation software solutions, specifically focusing on the development of WarRoom, our state-of-the-art tactical simulation platform. Your expertise will be crucial in designing and enhancing simulation capabilities, integrating complex physics-based predictive analysis, and ensuring our mission-adaptable aerial vehicles operate efficiently within simulated multi-domain operational scenarios. This position requires a deep understanding of software engineering, Unity development, and defense simulation technologies, coupled with practical experience in real-time physical simulations and system integration.

What You’ll Be Doing:

• Develop and enhance WarRoom, our comprehensive tactical simulation platform, using Unity to create immersive virtual environments for mission planning, rehearsal, and execution.
• Implement and optimize real-time physical simulations, including physics-based predictive analysis, to deliver scientifically accurate multi-domain operational scenarios.
• Interpret complex mathematical formulas and algorithms derived from academic research to develop advanced computational physics solutions within the simulation.
• Create meaningful and interactive visualizations of data analysis, integrating simulation data and real-time inputs from various sources, and presenting this information in user-friendly formats.
• Optimize runtime performance across multiple platforms, including desktop and mobile, by benchmarking, profiling, identifying bottlenecks, and developing solutions for optimization.
• Handle SDK and API integrations for real-time data ingestion, processing, and export, ensuring interoperability with operator tools such as TAK and UAS control systems.
• Manage multi-platform build processes, testing, and optimization, ensuring consistency and performance across different devices and operating systems.
• Develop and integrate unit tests to ensure code functionality, stability, and accuracy of physical simulations.
• Collaborate closely with system engineers, physicists, AI/ML specialists, and project managers to create scalable and modular software architectures, supporting a range of tactical and non-tactical protocols.
• Incorporate AI/ML-driven virtual development and training toolsets into the simulation platform, enhancing capabilities in areas such as automated target recognition and battle damage assessment.
• Participate in the design and implementation of features that support wargaming simulations, enabling scalable, multi-domain engagement scenarios for commanders and operators.
• Contribute to the development of a modular and scalable SDK for WarRoom, supporting the integration of new functionalities and protocols.
• Engage in continuous improvement of the user experience, incorporating feedback from diverse team members and end-users to refine the platform's usability and effectiveness.

Minimum Qualifications:

• Bachelor's or advanced degree in Computer Science, Software Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Mathematics, Physics, or a related field.
• Minimum of 5 years of professional experience as a software engineer, with a strong focus on Unity development.
• Extensive expertise in modern C#, including experience with Windows and Android build processes and lifecycles.
• Demonstrated ability in developing and understanding complex physical simulations, with a strong background in mathematics and computational physics.
• Solid understanding of software architecture principles, including modular and plugin architectures, and experience with distributed microservices.
• Experience in organizing and refactoring large codebases to maintain clean, efficient, and maintainable code.
• Proficiency in implementing real-time systems and handling multi-threaded applications.
• Familiarity with integrating various SDKs and APIs, and experience ensuring interoperability across multiple platforms and systems.
• Strong knowledge of benchmarking, profiling, and optimization techniques to enhance runtime performance on different hardware configurations.
• Experience in developing unit tests and automated testing frameworks to ensure code quality and stability.
• Excellent problem-solving skills and ability to interpret and implement complex algorithms from academic research.
• U.S. citizenship is required due to the nature of the work and the need to obtain and maintain a high-level U.S. Government security clearance.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Strong UI/UX design experience, with a proven ability to create intuitive and seamless user experiences, develop custom controls, and apply a strong sense of visual design to software interfaces.
• Experience with creating 2D graphics and assets using tools like Adobe Photoshop or Illustrator.
• Proficiency in creating and handling 3D graphics using software such as 3ds Max, Maya, or Blender, including the ability to create assets, clean and optimize models, and generate animations.
• Demonstrated experience in developing real-time physical simulations for complex interactions, including creating custom physics libraries or extending existing libraries for additional functionality.
• Familiarity with advanced Unity features such as Data-Oriented Technology Stack (DOTS), Entity Component System (ECS), SIMD optimizations, Unity's Job System, and compute shaders.
• Experience in developing AI/ML solutions, including the application of genetic algorithms, neural networks, and other machine learning techniques to optimize complex problem sets within simulations.
• Knowledge of tactical and non-tactical communication protocols such as OMNI, MAVLink, STANAG-4586, and Link 16, and experience integrating these protocols into simulation platforms.
• Experience with integrating operator tools such as TAK (Team Awareness Kit) and open-source UAS control and rehearsal tools into simulation environments.
• Understanding of multi-domain operations and Joint All-Domain Command and Control (JADC2) concepts.
• Experience with wargaming simulations and the ability to design and implement scalable, multi-domain engagement scenarios.
• Familiarity with cyber and logistical domain simulations, and experience in modeling tasks such as tasking and resource management through networks like JFIRES.
• Experience in software-in-the-loop (SITL) and hardware-in-the-loop (HITL) integrations, connecting real-time hardware sensors and command-control systems with simulation software.

What Makes You a Good Fit:

• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, enabling you to tackle complex and abstract challenges in simulation development.
• Excellent communication and teamwork abilities, with experience collaborating in multidisciplinary teams including engineers, physicists, and project managers.
• Ability to work independently and drive projects to completion, demonstrating initiative and leadership in managing tasks and mentoring junior team members.
• Passion for innovation and a commitment to advancing defense technology through cutting-edge simulation solutions.
• High adaptability to rapidly changing technologies, operational demands, and project requirements.
• Commitment to quality, with meticulous attention to detail in code development, testing, and documentation.
• Empathy and strong interpersonal skills, essential for effective collaboration, mentoring, and integrating feedback from diverse team members and end-users.
• Strong organizational and time management skills, capable of managing multiple priorities simultaneously while meeting tight deadlines and project milestones.
• Proactive in learning and applying new technologies, methodologies, and best practices to continuously improve the simulation platform.
• Enthusiasm for defense simulation and a deep interest in multi-domain operational scenarios, wargaming, and mission planning.

Bonus Points:

• Experience interpreting academic papers and deriving algorithms from modern research articles, applying cutting-edge research to practical simulation applications.
• Previous experience working in the defense industry or with military simulation software.
• Knowledge of unmanned aerial systems (UAS) operations and control systems.
• Contributions to open-source projects related to simulation, physics, or AI/ML.
• Experience with agile development methodologies and tools such as Jira, Git, or similar.

Firestorm is committed to hiring and retaining a diverse workforce. We are proud to be an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer, making decisions without regard to race, color, religion, creed, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, national origin, age, veteran status, disability, or any other protected class. U.S. Citizenship is required for all positions with a government clearance and certain other restricted positions. Our culture at Firestorm fosters collaboration, respect, and trust to empower passionate people to do their best work. We offer a competitive salary, comprehensive benefits, and opportunities for career growth.

As a Senior Tactical Simulation Software Engineer at Firestorm, you will play a pivotal role in developing and enhancing WarRoom, our advanced tactical simulation platform, contributing directly to the capabilities of our current and next-generation mission-adaptable aerial vehicles. If you are a seasoned professional with a profound interest in simulation development, Unity, and defense technology, and a passion for pushing the boundaries of what is possible in tactical simulations, we invite you to join our team and contribute to our mission of redefining low-cost mission-adaptable aerial vehicles.

Salary range: $140,000 to $170,000

To apply, please fill out the online application and attach your resume. Please include your LinkedIn profile link.

careers@launchfirestorm.com