Founding Simulation & AI Architect
Remote
Games Division
Summary
Posted:Aug 06, 2026
Role Number:BF-11438158
Backfield is building a next-generation sports simulation platform that creates digital athletes from real-world video. Our long-term vision is to build the simulation engine for human movement, starting with sports and expanding into training, scouting, coaching, fan engagement, and interactive simulations powered by real athlete data.
This founding-level role works across real-time graphics, physics, animation, AI, and systems engineering to define platform architecture and ship core simulation capabilities.
Define and build the core simulation architecture behind Backfield at the intersection of computer vision, AI, and real-time game technology.
Description
What you will build
- Generate digital athletes from real-world video
- Build realistic motion and animation systems
- Design scalable simulation architecture
- Integrate machine learning with game engine technology
- Create tools that let coaches and athletes simulate performance and development
Ideal background
- AAA game engine architecture (Valve, EA, Epic, Unity, Unreal, etc.)
- Character animation systems
- Physics or simulation engines
- Computer graphics or rendering
- AI/ML applied to animation or simulation
- Robotics or digital human simulation
- Performance optimization for large-scale interactive systems
Experience in sports technology is a plus, but not required.
Why Join
This is a founding opportunity to help define an entirely new gaming category at the intersection of AI, simulation, and sports. We are already working with youth academies, pro clubs, and collegiate programs, and currently assembling the stack to become the foundational simulation platform for human movement. You will also gain access to a trusted team of advisors such as Trip Hawkins (EA Sports founder), Ken Birdwell (Valve employee #1), John Donahoe (former Nike CEO), work with NASA engineers, and many more!
Compensation is flexible based on fit and may include salary, consulting, equity, or a combination.
Backfield accepts applications to this posting on an ongoing basis.