Senior SDE, Simulation Runtime and Physics Integration

Amazon is hiring a Senior SDE, Simulation Runtime and Physics Integration. It pays $168k-$227k a year and Level rates it ; you can apply on Amazon.

Level's read on this job

Builds AI ●●●● is how Level rates this software engineer role: the job is building AI systems.
The listed pay starts close to the typical software engineer posting on Level.
Level classifies it as a senior role.
Level lists 21,000+ other open roles at Amazon.
The role was posted in the last few days.

AI in this role

Amazon is seeking exceptional talent to help develop the next generation of advanced robotics systems that will transform automation at Amazon’s scale. We’re building revolutionary robotic systems that combine innovative AI, sophisticated control systems, and advanced mechanical design to create adaptable automation solutions capable of working safely alongside humans in dynamic environments. This is a unique opportunity to shape the future of robotics and automation at an unprecedented scale, working with world-class teams pushing the boundaries of what’s possible in robotic dexterous manipulation, locomotion, and human-robot interaction.

We are seeking a Senior Software Development Engineer to own the core simulation runtime and physics-engine integration at the heart of our advanced robotics development. This role focuses on building high-performance, production-grade simulation software — integrating and extending modern physics engines, optimizing contact-rich dynamics for speed and fidelity, and turning simulation research into robust, reusable capabilities. You will be the engineering owner of how our simulators actually run, working shoulder-to-shoulder with applied scientists to close the simulation-to-reality gap at scale.

Key job responsibilities
- Own the core simulation runtime: integrate, extend, and optimize modern physics engines (e.g., Isaac Lab, MuJoCo, Drake, Newton) for production use
- Engineer high-performance solvers and pipelines for rigid and deformable body dynamics and contact-rich manipulation and locomotion
- Partner with applied scientists to productionize novel simulation methods into robust, maintainable, reusable software
- Optimize simulation performance across CPU/GPU, including profiling, parallelization, and GPU-accelerated compute
- Build and maintain the interfaces, APIs, and model pipelines (e.g., URDF, SDF, USD) that connect simulation to the broader robotics stack
- Develop systematic methods and tooling to measure and reduce the simulation-to-reality gap in collaboration with science and controls teams
- Establish engineering best practices for the simulation codebase — modular architecture, performance-critical C++/Python, testing, and long-term maintainability
- Support large-scale reinforcement learning and policy-training workloads with reliable, reproducible simulation behavior

About the team
Our team is building a comprehensive simulation platform for advanced robotics development, combining locomotion and manipulation capabilities. We operate at the forefront of physics simulation, reinforcement learning, and sim-to-real transfer, collaborating with world-class robotics engineers, applied scientists, and mechanical designers in a fast-paced, innovation-driven environment.

Basic qualifications

- 5+ years of non-internship professional software development experience
- 5+ years of programming with at least one software programming language experience
- 5+ years of leading design or architecture (design patterns, reliability and scaling) of new and existing systems experience
- Experience as a mentor, tech lead or leading an engineering team

Preferred qualifications

- Master's degree or above in robotics, mechanical/mechatronics engineering, systems engineering or related field
- Experience with modern physics engines or simulation ecosystems (e.g., Isaac Lab, MuJoCo, Drake, Newton)
- Background in rigid-body or deformable-body dynamics, contact mechanics, computational geometry, or numerical methods
- Experience with GPU-accelerated computing and high-performance parallel algorithms
- Experience with robotics model formats and pipelines (e.g., URDF, SDF, USD)
- Experience bridging simulation and real-world robotic systems (modeling, validation, deployment)
- Experience supporting reinforcement learning or policy-training workflows in simulation
- Experience supporting research-to-production or prototype-to-scale transitions
- Contributions to open-source robotics, simulation, or physics projects

Amazon is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of protected veteran status, disability, or other legally protected status.

Our inclusive culture empowers Amazonians to deliver the best results for our customers. If you have a disability and need a workplace accommodation or adjustment during the application and hiring process, including support for the interview or onboarding process, please visit https://amazon.jobs/content/en/how-we-hire/accommodations for more information. If the country/region you’re applying in isn’t listed, please contact your Recruiting Partner.

The base salary range for this position is listed below. Your Amazon package will include sign-on payments and restricted stock units (RSUs). Final compensation will be determined based on factors including experience, qualifications, and location. Amazon also offers comprehensive benefits including health insurance (medical, dental, vision, prescription, Basic Life & AD&D insurance and option for Supplemental life plans, EAP, Mental Health Support, Medical Advice Line, Flexible Spending Accounts, Adoption and Surrogacy Reimbursement coverage), 401(k) matching, paid time off, and parental leave. Learn more about our benefits at https://amazon.jobs/en/benefits.

USA, MA, N.Reading - 168,100.00 - 227,400.00 USD annually

How we rate this

Senior SDE, Simulation Runtime and Physics Integration at Amazon rates 86 out of 100 for how much of the daily work is AI. That makes it Builds AI (AI Level 4 of 4). The level is about AI in the job, not seniority.

Classification

Builds AI. The job is building AI systems.

●●●● Builds AI80 to 100
●●●○ Works on AI60 to 79
●●○○ Uses AI40 to 59
●○○○ Little AI0 to 39

Levels come from how often the tools, models and workflows of the role are named in the posting itself. Read the description and count the AI tools, models and workflows it names.

Key facts

Senior SDE, Simulation Runtime and Physics Integration is an open job at Amazon.
Level rates this role AI Level 4 of 4: Builds AI.
The listed salary is $168k-$227k a year.
The role is based in US, MA, N.reading.
The job was posted on October 23, 2026.
Seniority: senior.
Applications are handled by Amazon. Apply on Amazon

Prepare for this job

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Pay

This job starts at: $168k
Typical software engineer job: $168k

This posting starts close to the typical software engineer job. See software engineer jobs

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