Lead Software Engineer, Robotics Simulation

At Cadence, we hire and develop leaders and innovators who want to make an impact on the world of technology.

We are seeking a Simulation Engineer to develop simulation technology for physical AI and robotics applications. In this role, you will develop simulation algorithms spanning many-body dynamics and finite element analysis, with a particular emphasis on contact algorithms, and validate their performance on robotics hardware. Working at the intersection of simulation and real-world deployment, you will connect numerical methods with practical robotics applications.

Key Responsibilities

• Develop simulation algorithms for physical AI and robotics applications, including many-body dynamics and finite element analysis.
• Develop and refine contact algorithms to model physical interactions in robotics scenarios.
• Validate simulation algorithms on robotics hardware and use experimental results to guide improvements.
• Evaluate simulation behavior against real-world deployment scenarios to identify and address differences between simulated and hardware results.
• Apply control theory and controller optimization and tuning methods to support simulation and hardware validation, as applicable.

Required Qualifications

• Degree in mechanical engineering, computer science, or a related discipline.

Preferred Qualifications

• PhD in mechanical engineering, computer science, or a related discipline.
• Expertise spanning both numerical methods or simulation and practical robotics deployment scenarios.
• Experience with many-body dynamics, finite element analysis, and contact algorithms.
• Experience validating simulation algorithms on robotics hardware.
• Expertise in control theory and controller optimization and tuning.

The annual salary range for California is $119,000 to $221,000. You may also be eligible to receive incentive compensation: bonus, equity, and benefits. Sales positions generally offer a competitive On Target Earnings (OTE) incentive compensation structure. Please note that the salary range is a guideline and compensation may vary based on factors such as qualifications, skill level, competencies and work location. Our benefits programs include: paid vacation and paid holidays, 401(k) plan with employer match, employee stock purchase plan, a variety of medical, dental and vision plan options, and more.

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Client-provided location(s): San Jose, CA

Job ID: Cadence-R56946

Employment Type: FULL_TIME

Posted: 2026-10-22T20:28:23