Principal Software Engineer for Simulation and Autonomy Development

Principal Software Engineer, Simulation (Autonomy and Swarm Technology)

Location: Oslo, Norway (on-site)

Relocation: Required

Eligibility: Must be eligible to obtain the relevant Norwegian/NATO security clearance for this role (eligibility criteria apply).

The opportunity

Join a rapidly growing Oslo-based defence autonomy start-up (50+ specialists) building intelligent software that gives UAVs the ability to collaborate, adapt on the fly, and execute missions as a team, using edge compute, radios, and computer vision. The platform is already deployed with a NATO customer, the company is profitable, and they are entering a major growth phase.

They are establishing a dedicated simulation capability to accelerate autonomy development and validation, support operator training, and become a core component of QA through automated testing. This is a greenfield build with real ownership, real constraints, and real-world impact.

What you’ll own

You will take end-to-end ownership of the simulation domain and set the technical direction:

• Define the simulation architecture and select the right third-party components (Gazebo, Isaac Sim, VBS4, game engine-based simulation, or similar)
• Deliver an MVP simulator that can run an autonomy mission end-to-end within six months
• Build realistic simulation of mission behaviour and environment dynamics (wind, snow, takeoff/landing conditions)
• Create a developer-friendly simulator stack that runs reliably, is containerised, and supports repeatable testing in CI/regression
• Integrate towards hardware-in-the-loop (HITL) as part of the roadmap
• Help grow a small simulation team around you over time

What we’re looking for

This role suits a hands-on Principal engineer who has built and shipped simulation/validation systems in industry:

• 5+ years of highly relevant experience in simulation, autonomy, robotics, automotive, aerospace, or defence software
• Strong software engineering fundamentals and evidence of delivering complex systems end-to-end
• Practical experience with simulation platforms and a clear view on trade-offs (speed vs fidelity, determinism vs realism, build vs buy)
• Strong Python and experience with CI integration and Docker/containerised environments
• Clear communication, straight talking, and the ability to create clarity in ambiguous problem spaces
• Fluent in English

Nice to have:

• SIL/HIL or HITL experience
• Building simulator environments from scratch (greenfield)
• Interest in moving into a team lead role as the function grows

Why it’s different

• Mission-critical autonomy software at scale (not a research demo)
• Ownership: you will define the approach and build something engineers rely on daily
• Fast feedback loops with real users and real systems
• Strong growth trajectory and the chance to shape a team and capability from day one

Process

• Intro call with the hiring team
• Technical interviews focused on simulation architecture, integration, and delivery
• Final on-site stage in Oslo (travel covered)

If you’re open to relocating to Oslo and want to build the simulation foundation for real-world autonomy, get in touch with Pete Dormer for a confidential conversation.