--- title: 'Staff Simulation Software Engineer at NIO USA, INC' canonical: 'https://feeny.ai/job/staff-simulation-software-engineer-nio-usa-inc-san-jose-anan7ktfwq6r' type: 'job' last_seen: '2026-09-13' --- # Staff Simulation Software Engineer at NIO USA, INC - **Company:** NIO USA, INC - **Location:** San Jose, CA - **Employment:** full-time - **Work type:** hybrid - **Posted:** 2026-06-18 - **Last confirmed live:** 2026-09-13 - **Apply:** https://jobs.lever.co/nio-usa/1ca24bda-dcd5-4de3-94cf-dd4b936a702a ## Job description ## About NIO NIO Inc. is a pioneer and a leading company in the global smart electric vehicle market. Founded in November 2014, NIO aspires to shape a sustainable and brighter future with the mission of “Blue Sky Coming”. NIO envisions itself as a user enterprise where innovative technology meets experience excellence. NIO designs, develops, manufactures and sells smart electric vehicles, driving innovations in next-generation core technologies. NIO distinguishes itself through continuous technological breakthroughs and innovations, exceptional products and services, and a community for shared growth. NIO provides premium smart electric vehicles under the NIO brand, premium smart electric vehicles for families through the ONVO brand, and small smart high-end electric cars with the FIREFLY brand. ## Responsibilities - Own the end-to-end design and delivery of low-level emulation and virtualization software for high-performance, high-throughput ECU simulation across multiple cross-platform vehicle initiatives, ensuring industry-leading reliability, scalability, and efficiency. - Architect and optimize CPU, GPU, NPU simulation / emulation / virtualization technologies continuously pushing the boundaries of functionality, performance, efficiency, and reliability. - Deliver production-grade simulation components that precisely meet product definitions, customer specifications, and vehicle platform requirements, maintaining full traceability to requirements. - Design and implement high-performance Linux guest drivers and libraries for CPU, GPU, NPU, and peripheral components, enabling seamless virtualized hardware access in a virtualized environment. - Partner closely with application and system development, validation, and integration teams to translate real-world automotive constraints into robust, high-quality simulation solutions that accelerate vehicle product SW development, validation, and integration. - Drive high-quality, on-time delivery of software deliverables across multiple vehicle programs while championing best practices in testing strategies, traceability, and continuous improvement. ## Qualifications - 7+ years of hands-on experience building complex, high-performance software systems (embedded systems, virtualization, or large-scale simulation preferred). - 3+ years of deep expertise in QEMU or similar simulation / emulation / virtualization software development on Linux (KVM experience highly valued). - Strong architectural background in CPU, GPU, and NPU architectures, modern SoC designs, software stacks, and virtualization technologies (including virtualization extensions and performance optimization techniques). - Solid mastery of Linux kernel internals, embedded / real-time operating systems (real-time OS), and low-level driver development. - Proven experience with ARM platform bring-up and bare-metal / low-level software development. - BS / MS in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Computer Science, or equivalent. - Demonstrated ability to deliver high-quality, production-grade code on aggressive timelines, with excellent technical documentation and communication skills. - Organized mindset and a passion for delivering high-quality software in a collaborative environment. ## Preferred Qualifications - Deep expertise in QEMU or simulator architecture and development (contributor or maintainer experience is a strong plus). - Hands-on experience with Linux hypervisors and virtualized driver stacks in environments such as QEMU, KVM, VMware, VirtualBox, or Xen. - Familiarity with Linux hypervisor, middleware, and application frameworks. - Experience in automotive platforms (AUTOSAR, functional safety ISO 26262, or vehicle virtualization frameworks) is a significant advantage. - Exposure to cloud computing, databases, and logging techniques for large-scale simulation/validation pipelines is a plus. ## Benefits Along with competitive pay, as a full-time NIO employee, you are eligible for the following benefits on the first day you join NIO: - Anthem Blue Cross, HSA, and Kaiser HMO medical plans with $0 for Employee Only Coverage. - Dental (including orthodontic coverage) and vision plan.  Both provide options with a $0 paycheck contribution covering you and your eligible dependents. - Company Paid HSA (Health Savings Account) Contribution when enrolled in the High Deductible Anthem Blue Cross medical plan - Healthcare and Dependent Care Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA) - 401(k) with Brokerage Link option - Company paid Basic Life, AD&D, short-term and long-term disability insurance - Employee Assistance Program - Sick and Vacation time - 13 Paid Holidays a year - Paid Parental Leave for first 8 weeks at full pay (eligible after 90 days of employment with NIO) - Paid Disability Leave for first 6 weeks at full pay (eligible after 90 days of employment with NIO) - Voluntary benefits including: Voluntary Life and AD&D options for you, your spouse/domestic partner and dependent child(ren), pet insurance - Commuter benefits - Mobile Cell Phone Credit - Free lunch and snacks - Onsite gym - Employee discounts and perks program ## Compensation The US base salary range for this full-time position is $163,500.00 - $212,400.00. - Within the range, individual pay is determined by work location and additional factors, including job-related skills, experience, and relevant education or training. - Please note that the compensation details listed in US role postings reflect the base salary only. It does not include discretionary bonus, equity, or benefits. ## About NIO USA, INC ## Company Overview - **One-liner**: NIO USA, INC is the American subsidiary of NIO Inc., a Chinese pioneer in premium smart electric vehicles, focused on R&D, digital systems, and expanding the NIO ecosystem in the US. - **Entity Type**: Public (NYSE: NIO; also listed on HKEX and SGX) - **Headquarters**: San Jose, California, USA (primary US office) - **Founded**: 2014 (parent company NIO Inc.) - **Founders**: William Li (Chairman & CEO) ## Core Business - **Primary industry**: Automotive (premium smart electric vehicles) - **Target customers**: B2C consumers seeking premium EVs; also B2B through Battery-as-a-Service (BaaS) and NIO Power infrastructure - **Mission**: “Blue Sky Coming” – Shaping a sustainable and brighter future together; to build a user enterprise where innovative technology meets experience excellence ## Products & Services - **NIO Vehicles**: Premium smart electric SUVs, sedans, and crossovers (e.g., ET7, ES6, EC6) with advanced assisted driving and digital cockpit features. - **Battery-as-a-Service (BaaS)**: Vehicle-battery separation model allowing battery subscription, swapping, and upgrades – recognized as a 2021 Fast Company World Changing Ideas award winner. - **NIO Power**: Network of battery swap stations, charging stations, Power Mobile (mobile charging), and a cloud-based power service system for holistic energy management. - **NIO Service**: One-stop service system including Service Guardian and nationwide service network for maintenance and roadside assistance. - **NIO Community**: User-driven ecosystem with over 600,000 users across 2,400+ communities, organizing activities and fostering shared growth. ## Market Standing - **Valuation/Market Cap**: Not publicly available in provided data (public company; market cap fluctuates; refer to NYSE: NIO) - **Key Metric**: Over 9,600 patents filed/obtained as of December 2025; R&D and production centers across 14 countries; sales/service in 24 countries and regions. - **Notable Investors/Partners**: Not detailed in search results; NIO is publicly traded with institutional investors; strategic partners include battery supply chain and technology firms. - **Growth Signals**: Expansion into Middle East, Central Asia, Southeast Asia, and Central America; launch of sub-brands ONVO and firefly; continuous hiring in US R&D (San Jose) and Europe (Munich, Oslo, Budapest, Oxford, etc.). ## Competitive Advantages - **Battery swapping technology**: 3-minute swap without leaving the car, with battery health checks – a unique differentiator vs. traditional charging. - **User community and NIO House**: Physical and digital community spaces that build brand loyalty and retention. - **Vertical integration**: In-house R&D across 12 technology domains (Full Stack) including autonomous driving, digital systems, and powertrain. - **First automotive company listed on NYSE, HKEX, SGX** – strong capital market credibility. ## Strategic Focus - **Global expansion**: Increasing presence in Europe, Middle East, and Americas; building sales and service networks. - **Autonomous driving & AI**: Continued investment in assisted/intelligent driving, AI robotics, and LLM optimization (evident from US job openings). - **Battery technology**: Advancing BaaS, solid-state batteries, and swapping infrastructure to reduce range anxiety. - **Brand diversification**: Sub-brands ONVO and firefly to target different price segments. ## Why Work Here - **Innovative environment**: Work on cutting-edge EV, autonomous driving, AI, and battery technology at a company that challenges traditional automotive. - **Benefits**: Health/dental/vision insurance, FSA/HSA, 401K with RSUs and annual bonus, paid vacation, sick leave, maternity/paternity leave, flexible hours, remote work options, free lunch/snacks, gym discount, commuter program, and mobile phone allowance. - **Global presence**: Opportunity to work in San Jose (US), Munich, Oslo, Budapest, Oxford, Netherlands, and other locations. - **Engineering culture**: Emphasis on R&D – roles include Hypervisor/Linux Kernel Developer, Simulation Software Engineer, AI Infrastructure Engineer, LLM Algorithmic Optimization Engineer, and AI Robotics Researcher. - **Award-winning**: BaaS recognized by Fast Company; NOMI AI won 2021 Artificial Intelligence award; Firmware-Over-The-Air won 2021 DEVIES Award. ## Sources 1. [nio.com/careers](https://www.nio.com/careers) 2. [nio.com/careers/jobs](https://www.nio.com/careers/jobs) 3. [us.nio.com/careers](http://us.nio.com/careers) 4. [nio.com/about](https://www.nio.com/about?noredirect=) ## Other roles at NIO USA, INC - [AI Research Engineer - Enterprise Automation](https://feeny.ai/job/ai-research-engineer-enterprise-automation-nio-usa-inc-san-jose-r8ndpxnh64gc) — San Jose, CA - [AI Robotics Researcher](https://feeny.ai/job/ai-robotics-researcher-nio-usa-inc-san-jose-2xgqj53kxxyf) — San Jose, CA - [LLM Algorithmic Optimization Engineer](https://feeny.ai/job/llm-algorithmic-optimization-engineer-nio-usa-inc-san-jose-xnfh9acvmdra) — San Jose, CA - [AI Infrastructure Engineer](https://feeny.ai/job/ai-infrastructure-engineer-nio-usa-inc-san-jose-3z69pyqqmzva) — San Jose, CA - [Sr. Hypervisor/Linux Kernel Developer - Software Platform](https://feeny.ai/job/sr-hypervisor-linux-kernel-developer-software-platform-nio-usa-inc-san-jose-84ptprf75p2t) — San Jose, CA - [Staff System Engineer | Researcher](https://feeny.ai/job/staff-system-engineer-researcher-nio-usa-inc-san-jose-q9wntx09jh6b) — San Jose, CA - [AI Technical Lead](https://feeny.ai/job/ai-technical-lead-nio-usa-inc-san-jose-3vkz7wy38kg9) — San Jose, CA - [Sr. Staff Performance Tuning Engineer - CPU PMU & Virtualization](https://feeny.ai/job/sr-staff-performance-tuning-engineer-cpu-pmu-virtualization-nio-usa-inc-san-jose-nk6pmzhnny88) — San Jose, CA