{"id":2846977,"url":"https://alion.io/job/grid-dynamics-lead-simulation-autonomy-systems-architect","title":"Lead Simulation & Autonomy Systems Architect","company":{"id":1625,"name":"Grid Dynamics","domain":"griddynamics.com","url":"https://alion.io/company/grid-dynamics-poland","size_band":"501-1000","is_staffing_agency":false,"employer_type":"direct","is_intermediary":false,"listed_via":null,"ats_vendor":"Career sitemap","truth_index":null},"role":"Hardware","role_family":"Hardware","seniority":"lead","employment_type":"contractor","work_mode":"hybrid","remote_scope":null,"remote_scope_basis":null,"remote_working_hours":null,"hiring_geo_confidence":"structured","locations":["Warsaw, Poland","Wrocław, Poland","Kraków, Poland","Gdańsk, Poland"],"countries":["PL"],"hiring_countries":[],"hiring_countries_total":0,"salary":null,"salary_estimate":{"min_usd":57000,"max_usd":130000,"period":"year","method":"global_role_cell_scaled_by_country","sample_n":796},"experience_years_min":null,"visa_sponsorship":false,"relocation_package":false,"has_equity":false,"technologies":[{"name":"AI Agents","optional":false},{"name":"C++","optional":false},{"name":"CARLA","optional":false},{"name":"Isaac Sim","optional":false},{"name":"Physical AI","optional":false},{"name":"Python","optional":false},{"name":"NVIDIA Omniverse","optional":true},{"name":"Synthetic Data","optional":true},{"name":"Vision-Language-Action","optional":true}],"status":"live","first_seen_at":"2026-10-19T11:13:36Z","employer_posted_date":null,"last_verified_at":"2026-10-19T11:13:36Z","board_verified":false,"closed_at":null,"days_open":7,"trust":{"level":"not_scored","repost_count":null,"flags":[],"days_open":7},"description":"We are seeking a Lead Simulation & Autonomy Systems Architect to join a physical AI program for a global heavy-equipment manufacturer with more than a decade of experience running autonomous machines in the field, as it takes a working autonomy stack toward a product that runs unsupervised at customer sites. In this role, you will work embedded in the client’s program with its function leads and engineering teams, owning the simulation strategy for autonomy development and validation, and leading the architecture for how the system detects faults, degrades gracefully and reaches a safe state, all backed by working code, not just diagrams.\nEssential functions\nSimulation Strategy: Own how simulation feeds autonomy development and validation, including scenario coverage, how real and simulated data are combined, and validation of degraded modes and safety scenarios in simulation.\n\nFailure Analysis & Safety Case: Lead FMEA and fault-tree analysis across perception, planning, control and hardware from day one, map each failure to a detection mechanism and a safe response, and work with safety engineering on a safety case covering acceptable event rates for the fleet and the signals that demonstrate due diligence.\n\nDegraded Modes & Reactive Safety: Design health monitors, run levels, fail-operational versus fail-safe behavior, minimum-risk conditions and fallback paths a simpler system can follow, plus fast reactive layers such as collision-imminent braking that doesn’t wait on the full perception pipeline while keeping false positives low.\n\nCross-Cutting System Architecture: Define software/hardware integration, interfaces and system-level features beyond any single team, and bridge hardware and software timelines by telling hardware teams which requirements must be fixed now and which can wait.\n\nHands-On Code with AI Agents: Write, review and guide code produced with AI coding agents inside guardrails such as automated tests and toolchain checks, and take degraded-mode architecture to implementation and testing on real machines.\n\nRoadmap & Team Leadership: Lead the simulation workstream’s contribution to the 2027 program charter and roadmap, guide two Simulation & Perception architects, and mentor engineers in a small, fast-moving, startup-style team.\n\nQualifications\n10+ years of experience in autonomous systems, such as robotaxi, autonomous trucking, mining, agriculture or construction autonomy.\n\nBehavior, Planning & Control: Hands-on ownership of behavior, planning or control software in a deployed autonomy stack, including proven design of minimum-risk maneuvers, fallback trajectories and degraded modes.\n\nSimulation for Autonomy: Integrating simulation into the development and validation loop, with scenarios, sensor models and data contracts between simulation and the autonomy stack (NVIDIA Isaac Sim, CARLA or equivalent).\n\nSystem Safety Practice: FMEA, hazard analysis and close work with functional safety teams (ISO 26262, ISO 21448 SOTIF or similar).\n\nHeavy-Machine Dynamics: Understanding of vehicle and powertrain dynamics, including braking and traction limits under load, on slopes and in rough terrain.\n\nReal-Time Systems Architecture: Software architecture and hardware/software integration for real-time systems on embedded compute.\n\nHands-On Coding: Still writes code in C++ and Python, and is comfortable working through AI coding agents.\n\nWould be a plus\nHeavy-Duty & Off-Road Autonomy: Experience with autonomous trucks, mining haul or construction equipment, plus field and rapid-response engineering that turns field issues into fast fixes.\n\nLearned Driving Models: Experience with end-to-end learned driving or VLA models and wrapping them in safety envelopes.\n\nSynthetic Data: NVIDIA Omniverse and synthetic data generation for training and testing.\n\nStartup Mindset & Track Record: Doing more with less while managing several teams, and patents or publications in autonomy, safety or control.\n\nTravel Readiness: Availability for pre-approved trips to client sites.\n\nWe offer\nOpportunity to work on bleeding-edge projects\n\nWork with a highly motivated and dedicated team\n\nCompetitive salary\n\nFlexible schedule\n\nBenefits package - medical insurance, sports\n\nCorporate social events\n\nProfessional development opportunities\n\nWell-equipped office\n\nAbout us\nGrid Dynamics (NASDAQ: GDYN) is a leading provider of technology consulting, platform and product engineering, AI, and advanced analytics services. Fusing technical vision with business acumen, we solve the most pressing technical challenges and enable positive business outcomes for enterprise companies undergoing business transformation. A key differentiator for Grid Dynamics is our 8 years of experience and leadership in enterprise AI, supported by profound expertise and ongoing investment in data, analytics, cloud & DevOps, application modernization and customer experience. Founded in 2006, Grid Dynamics is headquartered in Silicon Valley with offices across the Americas, Europe, and India.\nTech stack\nC++\nPython\nNVIDIA","description_format":"text","description_chars":5054,"description_truncated":false,"requirements":{"experience_years_min":null,"management_years_min":null,"team_size_min":null,"manages_managers":false,"education":null,"security_clearance":false,"languages":[]},"benefits":["Flexible schedule","Health insurance","Professional development"],"hiring_locations":[],"hiring_excludes":[],"relocation_offered":false,"industries":["IT Outsourcing & Dedicated Teams","Custom Software Development","AI Consulting & Integration","Cloud Consulting & Migration"],"lifecycle":[{"event":"open","at":"2026-10-19T11:25:00Z"}],"visa":[],"liveness":{"score":63,"band":"ok","label":"Likely open","p_open":1,"p_active":0.796,"p_room":0.788,"age_days":6,"expected_fill_days":8,"reasons":["seen:6","velocity","win:late"],"computed_at":"2026-10-26T05:57:25Z"},"pay":null,"html_url":"https://alion.io/job/grid-dynamics-lead-simulation-autonomy-systems-architect","json_url":"https://alion.io/job/grid-dynamics-lead-simulation-autonomy-systems-architect.json","meta":{"generated_at":"2026-10-27T02:53:47Z","cache_seconds":300,"methodology":"https://alion.io/methodology","terms":"https://alion.io/terms","contact":"https://alion.io/contact","api":"https://alion.io/developers","about":"Alion is a live layer of people, companies and AI agents: who they are, whether they are real and active right now, what they do and how to work with them, readable by people and by agents and paid per call.","catalog":"https://alion.io/catalog.json","usage":{"tier":"crawler_verified","counted_by":"address","units_charged":1,"used_today":2196,"day_limit":null,"remaining_today":null,"minute_limit":300,"resets_at":"2026-10-28T00:00:00Z"}},"offers":[{"id":"company.slices","title":"One company in depth, by slice","status":"live","price":{"credits":0.02,"usd":0.002,"plus_per_slice":{"credits":0.05,"usd":0.005}},"unit":"per company, plus each slice with data","note":"the employer in depth","call":{"mcp_tool":"get_company","arguments":{"id":1625},"rest":"https://alion.io/mcp/rest/get_company?id=1625"},"human":"https://alion.io/catalog?offer=company.slices&for=job%2Fgrid-dynamics-lead-simulation-autonomy-systems-architect"},{"id":"market.stats","title":"A market slice: pay, demand and time to fill","status":"live","price":{"credits":1,"usd":0.1},"unit":"per slice","note":"pay, demand and time to fill for this role and place","call":{"mcp_tool":"market_stats"},"human":"https://alion.io/catalog?offer=market.stats&for=job%2Fgrid-dynamics-lead-simulation-autonomy-systems-architect"},{"id":"job.search","title":"Open jobs by role, technology, place, pay and visa","status":"live","price":{"credits":0.02,"usd":0.002},"unit":"per posting in a list","note":"similar open postings","call":{"mcp_tool":"search_jobs"},"human":"https://alion.io/catalog?offer=job.search&for=job%2Fgrid-dynamics-lead-simulation-autonomy-systems-architect"},{"id":"company.verify","title":"Is this company real and active right now","status":"pilot","price":null,"unit":"per company","request":{"url":"https://alion.io/catalog/request","method":"POST","body":"{\"offer\": \"company.verify\", \"for\": \"job/grid-dynamics-lead-simulation-autonomy-systems-architect\", \"note\": \"what you need it for\"}"},"human":"https://alion.io/catalog?offer=company.verify&for=job%2Fgrid-dynamics-lead-simulation-autonomy-systems-architect"}]}