Internship, GNC Engineering

About the role

Pivotal stands as a recognized leader in the emerging market of electric vertical takeoff and landing aircraft, specializing in the design, development, and manufacturing of light eVTOL aircraft that are efficient, compact, and simple. The company has earned a strong reputation for the BlackFly, which holds the distinction of being the world's first light eVTOL aircraft to successfully fly manned missions and enter the consumer market, and Pivotal aircraft are designed for a wide range of consumer, public service, and defense applications. The company's distinctive tilt-aircraft architecture and scalable platform have been flying for over ten years, and the next-generation Helix aircraft is rapidly progressing toward general release and scalable production in 2026. This internship position within the GNC Engineering team provides an opportunity to work on advanced tilt-aircraft technology at a company with over a decade of continuous flight experience, and the role is well-suited for students eager to apply their academic knowledge to real-world aerospace challenges in a fast-moving technology sector that is attracting significant investment and attention.

Key facts

What you'll do

Assist in the development and rigorous testing of guidance algorithms specifically designed for tilt-aircraft systems and flight control applications across multiple flight regimes. Support the integration of flight control software modules into the Helix aircraft platform during various stages of the development and testing lifecycle. Contribute to the creation and refinement of high-fidelity simulation models that accurately predict aircraft behavior during critical transition flight phases and maneuvers. Work with advanced sensor fusion techniques and filtering methods to improve overall navigation accuracy, state estimation, and system reliability under varying conditions. Help validate guidance, navigation, and control algorithms through comprehensive hardware-in-the-loop testing procedures and real-time simulation environments that replicate flight scenarios. Participate actively in flight test data collection, analysis, and performance benchmarking activities to characterize aircraft handling qualities and control response. Collaborate closely with mechanical and electrical engineering teams on complex system integration tasks, interface definitions, and cross-disciplinary problem solving. Document all GNC design decisions, implementation details, and test results in clear and thorough technical reports for internal review. Support the scalable production preparation efforts for the Helix aircraft by contributing to manufacturing process development and quality assurance procedures. Assist in the ongoing maintenance and refinement of the existing BlackFly flight control systems and software architecture to ensure continued reliability.

Requirements

Currently pursuing an active enrollment in a degree program focused on aerospace engineering, computer science, or a closely related technical discipline at an accredited institution. Demonstrated strong understanding of control theory, guidance navigation concepts, and classical and modern control methodologies relevant to aerospace applications. Practical familiarity with MATLAB or Python programming environments for algorithm development, prototyping, and data analysis tasks in research or academic settings. Foundational knowledge of embedded systems architecture and real-time software development principles and practices used in safety-critical applications. Genuine interest in aviation systems, autonomous flight technologies, and the broader field of urban air mobility and advanced air transportation. Proven ability to work both independently on individual assignments and collaboratively within a multidisciplinary team environment to meet project deadlines. Strong written and verbal communication skills necessary for presenting technical findings, writing reports, and collaborating across functional groups effectively. Must be available for a minimum continuous period of twelve weeks during the scheduled internship timeframe to complete assigned projects.

Nice to have

Prior hands-on experience with ROS or other widely-used robotics middleware frameworks for distributed system integration and communication between components. Previous exposure to flight simulation tools such as X-Plane or JSBSim for modeling, validation, and testing of control system designs. Solid knowledge of state estimation techniques, Kalman filtering methods, and probabilistic robotics approaches used in navigation and localization. Familiarity with C++ programming language for developing performance-critical applications in resource-constrained embedded environments common in aerospace systems.

Skills & tools

MATLAB for algorithm prototyping, numerical analysis, and visualization of complex aerospace system behaviors and control responses. Python for scripting, data processing pipelines, and rapid development of analysis utilities for flight test data. C or C++ programming languages for embedded software development and performance-critical flight software components running on target hardware. Git for version control, collaborative code management, and maintaining a clean development workflow across team members. Linux operating system proficiency for navigating development environments, working with build systems, and deploying software on target platforms. CAD software for reviewing mechanical integration models and understanding aircraft physical constraints and spatial limitations.

Practical notes

This is a full-time internship position based at the Palo Alto, California office location for the duration of the program. The internship duration is expected to align with the standard academic calendar and university schedules for the participating term. Candidates should be prepared to participate in on-site activities, including flight test observations, laboratory work, and regular team meetings. Pivotal offers a dynamic work environment with direct exposure to real aircraft development projects, production systems, and experienced engineering professionals.

About the company

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.