Staff Software Engineer in Test – Modeling and Simulation

Code Metal

. Translate Quality Engineering strategy into a risk-based validation approach for Modeling & Simulation across unit, integration, contract, end-to-end, performance, resilience, and security-critical workflows .

Posted 10/22/2026full-timeSan Francisco • California • United StatesLead💰 $145,000 - $185,000 per yearWebsite

Core Competencies

Role fit

Core Competencies

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Demonstrates expertise in building and validating test infrastructure for complex systems, particularly in Python and CI workflows. Capable of designing risk-based test strategies and mentoring engineers while ensuring high-quality standards in simulation and AI-assisted workflows.

Highest-signal resume keywords

Python ProgrammingTest Infrastructure DevelopmentRisk-Based Test StrategiesCI Workflow ImprovementMentoring Engineers

ATS Keywords

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Applicant Tracking System Keywords

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Hard Skills

Automated ValidationAsynchronous TestingBehavior-Focused TestingPerformance TestingAPI ValidationStatistical Model EvaluationDocker TestingFlaky-Test ControlVersioned Reference ScenariosDeterministic Assertions

Soft Skills

Technical DirectionInfluenceCollaborationMentorship

Tools & Technologies

PytestGitHub ActionsPlaywrightDockerCI Integration

Certifications & Qualifications

U.S. Secret Security Clearance Eligibility

Industry Keywords

Quality EngineeringSimulationAI-Assisted WorkflowsDistributed SystemsHigh-Assurance Domains

Tech Stack

Tools & technologies

CloudDockerPythonReactTypeScriptC++

About the role

Key responsibilities & impact

Translate Quality Engineering strategy into a risk-based validation approach for Modeling & Simulation across unit, integration, contract, end-to-end, performance, resilience, and security-critical workflows
Build reliable test infrastructure with deterministic fixtures, isolated test data, service and event-contract tests, integration harnesses, versioned reference scenarios, deterministic replay, and focused browser automation
Improve CI feedback through test partitioning, parallel execution, caching, failure attribution, and flaky-test control
Write behavior-focused tests for high-risk planning, sensing, simulation, authorization, state-transition, and recovery workflows
Partner with simulation and model owners to create reusable reference scenarios, regression baselines, characterization or differential tests, and reproducible quality evidence
Define validation and release criteria for simulation and AI-assisted workflows using deterministic assertions, contracts, reference checks, statistical or model-based evaluation, failure-recovery testing, and human oversight
Establish repeatable performance and reliability validation with measurable objectives and release evidence
Participate in design and code reviews, identify testability risks, and mentor engineers
Turn Modeling & Simulation lessons into reusable quality bars, reporting practices, testing standards, and validation infrastructure for centralized Quality Engineering

Requirements

What you’ll need

Significant experience as an SDET, test-infrastructure engineer, quality architect, or software engineer responsible for automated validation of production systems
Strong production programming skills in Python
Deep experience building Python test infrastructure using pytest or comparable frameworks, including asynchronous testing, fixtures and factories, parallel execution, and CI integration
Demonstrated experience designing risk-based test strategies across multiple layers of a distributed system
Experience validating complex systems with partially nondeterministic behavior, such as simulation, statistical models, ML, or AI-assisted workflows
Hands-on experience testing Docker-based or comparable containerized, multi-service applications, including APIs, databases, messaging, authentication, authorization, and data isolation
Experience building and improving CI workflows with GitHub Actions or a comparable platform, including test isolation, failure diagnosis, and flaky-test control
Ability to set technical direction, write design documents, mentor engineers, and lead multi-team initiatives through influence
Typically 8+ years of relevant software engineering, test infrastructure, or quality engineering experience, with demonstrated Staff-level scope and impact
Eligible to obtain and maintain a U.S. Secret security clearance
Preferred: experience validating simulation, geospatial, event-driven, or other stateful systems
Preferred: familiarity with testing or debugging C++ simulation or systems code
Preferred: experience testing TypeScript and React applications with Playwright or equivalent tools
Preferred: experience with performance testing, generated test data, and API or schema validation
Preferred: experience testing cloud-based, containerized systems using logs, metrics, traces, and retained test artifacts
Preferred: familiarity with constructive simulation, distributed simulation standards, or mission-analysis software
Preferred: hands-on experience evaluating AI-assisted or agentic systems
Preferred: experience using AI coding assistants or agents throughout the software development lifecycle
Preferred: experience in a regulated, high-assurance, or mission-critical domain
U.S. citizenship may be required for certain project assignments involving security clearance

Benefits

Comp & perks

Health care plan with 100% premium coverage, including medical, dental, and vision
401k with 5% matching
Paid Time Off (uncapped vacation, plus sick and public holidays)
Flexible hybrid or remote work arrangement
Relocation assistance for qualifying employees
Equity