Software Engineer - Distributed Simulation Systems

About AsteraAstera is a private foundation on a mission to steer science and technology toward an abundant future. We believe the coming years will bring an era of unprecedented scientific and technological advancement as exponential progress in AI converges with central advances in other fields to dramatically accelerate innovation. This inflection point provides an unparalleled opportunity to fundamentally rethink the institutions, systems, and tools that drive scientific progress.Unlike traditional non-profit research organizations, projects supported by Astera operate like high-velocity startups, allowing us to focus on ambitious goals, match structure to problem, and attract strong technical talent and leadership. You can read more about our mission, vision, and programming here.Position SummaryThe Astera Institute is seeking a software engineer to build the core infrastructure for large-scale distributed simulation systems, including biological systems and physics-based environments.This role focuses on distributed computation, high-performance networking, scalable simulation pipelines, and biological and 3D physics simulation systems.You will work at the intersection of:distributed computinghigh-performance C++biological system simulation3D physics simulationnetworking infrastructureResponsibilities Design and implement distributed simulation systemsBuild networking infrastructure for synchronized multi-node simulationBuild and optimize MuJoCo-based 3D physics environmentsDevelop infrastructure for large-scale biological system simulationsEngineer communication systems for distributed simulators and agentsOptimize simulation throughput across CPUs, GPUs, and clustersDevelop distributed execution systemsProfile and eliminate bottlenecks in networking, scheduling, memory, and synchronizationWork on infrastructure spanning simulation, networking, orchestration, visualization, and toolingQualifications and Experience Strong C++ systems programming experienceExperience with distributed systemsExperience with networking protocols and distributed communicationExperience with MuJoCo or other 3D physics simulatorsUnderstanding of concurrency, multithreading, synchronization, and performance optimizationExperience building performance-critical systems on LinuxFamiliarity with cluster or distributed compute environmentsStrong Plus Experience with Python and PyTorchBiological or neuroscience simulation experienceSimulation engine developmentHigh-performance networking experienceCUDA or GPU systems programmingECS / data-oriented engine architecturesRDMA, shared memory, zero-copy networking, or custom transport layersExperience scaling simulations across many machinesExperience with UI frameworks such as wxWidgetsExperience building visualization or simulation tooling interfacesLocationThis position is hybrid at our office in Emeryville, CA. Some travel may be required from time-to-time for in-person collaboration and work.Applicants must be currently authorized to work in the United States without the need for employer sponsorship, now or in the future.CompensationThe posted salary range is based on location in the Bay Area. The successful candidate will receive a competitive compensation package, commensurate with their experience and location. Benefits summaryCultural Alignment Surprising problem-solver - you love finding unexpected solutions to problems we don't even know we have, and see options where others only see constraints.Flexible by default - you don't draw hard lines around your job description and expect your role to evolve significantly over 6-12 months.Bias to action - you launch and iterate on thoughtful experiments rather than waiting for perfect plans, and you're energized by novel problems.High standards, internally driven - you believe you can build the world's best vehicle for unleashing extraordinary individuals to create public goods, and you hold yourself to that bar without benchmarking against others.Open to feedback - You create opportunities to give and receive honest feedback, staying focused on both personal and team growth, and committing to transparency even when it's uncomfortable.Operate with the highest levels of integrity, judgment, and stewardship -- you treat residents, peers, and vendors with genuine respect for their time and contributions.Embrace the tools that define great work today - Astera is building for an AI-driven future and equips the team accordingly. We see these as genuine force multipliers, not optional extras, and we expect our people to use them