Airbus UpNext Spain – UAS Synthetic Environment & Sensor Simulation Engineer (m/f)
// Role Summary
Develop advanced virtual environments and sensor simulations using Unreal Engine for flight autonomy demonstrator systems. This role is crucial for generating synthetic datasets for AI training and enabling real-time testing of flight systems.
// Key Responsibilities
- Develop procedural virtual worlds and physics-based sensor simulations.
- Create high-fidelity synthetic and hybrid datasets for AI training and benchmarking.
- Configure and validate physics-based sensor models (cameras, LiDAR, radar).
- Integrate simulated environments with real-time flight autonomy hardware.
- Build automated pipelines for large-scale simulation campaigns.
- Collaborate with perception, safety, and flight-test teams to define simulation needs.
// Role Specification
About the Role
Airbus UpNext Spain is seeking a Synthetic Environment & Sensor Simulation Engineer (M/F) to join their team in Getafe. This is a fixed-term contract position, expected to conclude by the end of December 2028, focused on a flight autonomy demonstrator project.
You will be instrumental in developing the virtual environments, synthetic sensor models, and automated scenario-generation capabilities essential for the flight autonomy demonstrator. This role leverages synthetic environment and sensor simulation tools, with Unreal Engine as a core component, to produce diverse environments, operational conditions, and sensor data.
The generated capabilities will support two primary objectives: generating fully synthetic and hybrid datasets for offline training, benchmarking, and validation of AI models, and producing procedural virtual worlds and synthetic sensor data for real-time testing of the Flight Autonomy system.
In real-time simulation, the host will provide the air vehicle's ground-truth motion and state. The synthetic-environment platform will utilize this information to generate synchronized sensor outputs, which will then be injected into the autonomy system under test.
If you are passionate about creating high-fidelity digital representations of reality and modeling sensor perception under demanding real-time conditions and integration challenges, this role offers a unique opportunity.
Key Responsibilities
- Procedural Environments: Build dynamic, procedural virtual worlds including terrain, urban areas, weather, lighting, and obstacles using game engine technology.
- Dataset Generation: Create high-fidelity synthetic and hybrid datasets with precise ground-truth annotations (e.g., depth, segmentation, tracking) to train and benchmark perception algorithms.
- Sensor Modeling: Configure and validate physics-based sensor models (cameras, LiDAR, radar) that accurately mimic real-world limitations, noise, and latency.
- Real-Time Integration & Automation: Connect simulated environments with real-time flight autonomy hardware. Develop automated pipelines for running large-scale simulation campaigns locally or in the cloud.
- Cross-Team Collaboration: Translate algorithm and testing requirements from the perception, safety, and flight-test teams into executable simulation scenarios.
What You Bring
- Simulation & Game Engines: Deep experience with Unreal Engine, Unity, NVIDIA Omniverse, or equivalent, including procedural scene generation.
- Physics-Based Sensor Modeling: Proven knowledge of modeling cameras (optical/IR), LiDAR, or radar, coupled with experience in physically based rendering (PBR).
- Data & ML Foundation: Familiarity with dataset annotation, ground-truth generation, domain randomization, and synthetic-to-real transfer techniques.
- Technical Stack: Strong programming skills in Python and C++, with experience using Linux, Docker, and distributed simulation architectures (e.g., ROS2/DDS).
- Mindset: A proactive systems thinker adept at translating high-level flight test objectives into automated pipelines. You value transparency, adaptability, and speed.
What You Get
- Pivotal Role in a Strategic Mission: Play a key part in a project at the forefront of developing technology for UAS flight, paving the way for complex missions.
- Build Something That Lasts: Contribute to high-value assets and learning for Airbus's future.
- Work on the Edge of Technology: Explore disruptive technologies at their limits.
- Agile and Empowering Environment: Thrive in a start-up-like culture supported by Airbus's expertise, with opportunities to take initiative and propose efficient working methods.
- A Great Team and Culture: Join an experienced and fun team in a shared open-space office, guided by the value of “Care for Each Other.”
- Flexibility & Fun: Benefit from flexible working hours, remote work opportunities, and regular community bonding events. Enjoy complimentary coffee and beverages.
About Airbus UpNext
Airbus UpNext empowers you to think and act like a startup, backed by the robust expertise of Airbus. Our core DNA includes #Speed of Execution, #Be Audacious, #Be Simple, #Caring for Each Other, and #Be Open to the World.
This job requires an awareness of potential compliance risks and a commitment to act with integrity.