Internship, GNC Engineering (Fall)

Pivotal

Palo Alto, CA on site Until 10/5/2026 H-1B sponsor history First posted August 6, 2026 Last posted August 6, 2026

Job description

Pivotal is the leader in the emerging market of electric Vertical Takeoff and Landing (eVTOL) aircraft. We design, develop, and manufacture light eVTOL aircraft and are renowned for the BlackFly aircraft the world's first light eVTOL to fly manned missions and enter the consumer market.

Efficient, compact, and simple, Pivotal aircraft are designed for a wide range of consumer, public service, and defense applications. Our distinctive tilt-aircraft architecture and scalable platform have been flying for over 10 years. Last year we announced our next-generation aircraft, the Helix, which is rapidly progressing toward general release and scalable production in 2026.

Mobility is one of the most highly-valued areas of modern technology investments. This is the right company, in the right space, the right strategy, at the right time. If you are ready for adventure, we invite you to join our amazing team and grow with us.

Responsibilities

Support development and testing of control and state estimation features.
Run simulations (MIL/SIL) to assess performance and behavior.
Analyze simulation and/or flight test data.
Build or improve tools, scripts, and test infrastructure (MATLAB/Simulink, Python).
Help document procedures, results, and findings.

Qualifications

Pursuing a Bachelors or Masters degree program in Aerospace, Mechanical, Electrical, Robotics, or similar.
Interest in eVTOL industry and personal flight
Experience with MATLAB/Simulink and/or Python.
Exposure to flight dynamics, controls, or estimation through coursework/projects.
Ability to learn quickly and multi-task in a dynamic and fast-paced work environment
Strong verbal and written communication, organization, and leadership skills
Must be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident
Able to work onsite in Palo Alto, CA.

Preferred Qualifications

Experience with UAVs/RC aircraft, robotics, or autonomy projects.
Familiarity with sensor fusion, Kalman filtering, or control design.
Experience with Git or similar tools.

Applicants must be eligible for employment in the United States and willing to work onsite at our HQ office in Palo Alto, CA.

Pivotal is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Pivotal does not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, non-disqualifying physical or mental disability, national origin, veteran status or any other basis covered by appropriate law. All employment is decided on the basis of qualifications, merit, and business need.

Compensation (from employer):
25–25 USD per-hour-wage

About this role

Summary

Support control development, testing, data analysis, and tool building for eVTOL aircraft.

Job title

Internship, GNC Engineering (Fall)

Experience level

student internship

Industry

aerospace

Location requirements

onsite in Palo Alto, CA, no remote work allowed

Salary

25–25 USD per-hour-wage

Visa sponsorship

H-1B sponsor history

Management role

Skills & keywords

Required skills

MATLAB/SimulinkPythonflight dynamicscontrolsestimation

Preferred skills

UAVsroboticssensor fusionKalman filteringGit

Specializations

control systemsflight dynamicsestimationsimulationPython

Locations

Structured locations inferred from the posting.

Palo Alto, CA, USA

On-site City