Senior Maintenance Engineer

About the role

Pivotal operates at the forefront of the electric Vertical Takeoff and Landing (eVTOL) sector, specializing in light aircraft for consumer, public service, and defense markets. The company is recognized for the BlackFly, which pioneered manned flight and entered consumer markets, and the Helix, a next-generation platform advancing toward general release and scalable production in 2026. This role is central to ensuring the durability and performance of these systems. The Senior Maintenance Engineer will own the long-term stability of tilt rotor mechanisms across both consumer and public service applications. They will drive intake procedures, structural build routines, validation checkpoints, release activities, and partner integrations to ensure durable operations. The focus is on achieving uncompromising performance for the Helix and BlackFly platforms under demanding field conditions. This position reports to Palo Alto, California, as a full-time, exempt role with a base compensation of $180,000.

Key facts

What you'll do

• Execute intake filter designs to isolate environmental risks that affect composite components and sensitive electronic modules.
• Establish structured build sequences that align tooling calibration with airframe assembly, documenting every test outcome for full traceability.
• Analyze telemetry streams against baseline models on a daily basis to expose deviation patterns in flight hardware performance.
• Coordinate ship activities, ensuring release notes accurately reflect resolved issues and updated configuration records for each unit.
• Create partner pathways for component traceability, involving the sharing of formatted logs that clarify maintenance history and upgrade requirements.
• Develop monitoring dashboards to display sensor anomalies, part wear indicators, and intervention timelines for engineering and operations teams.
• Implement verification routines that exercise propulsion units under varied conditions to validate structural integrity and system reliability.
• Maintain detailed records that link each modification to source requests, test results, and approval timestamps for audit and compliance.
• Optimize test schedules to ensure critical path validations occur early, reducing bottlenecks across production lines and delivery windows.
• Guide junior staff through hands-on walkthroughs, demonstrating safe handling and precise documentation practices during maintenance procedures.

Requirements

A minimum of 10 years of experience maintaining complex mechanical systems in operational settings is mandatory for this role. You must hold familiarity with tilt rotor mechanisms, battery installations, and high-speed drivetrains used in urban aircraft applications. The ability to read engineering drawings, wiring lists, and revision histories to guide modification implementation is required without exception. Clear communication with operations, engineering, and partner teams is necessary while managing multiple concurrent tasks under tight timelines. Comfort working at height while handling tools and components during aircraft structure assembly is essential for safety and efficiency. Candidates must be fully eligible to work in the United States without sponsorship, as this position does not support visa sponsorship at this time. Reliability, attention to detail, and a methodical approach to problem solving are hard requirements for success in this position.

Nice to have

Experience with light eVTOL platforms, including the BlackFly and Helix, is advantageous for accelerating onboarding and decision making. Proficiency with CAD software, version control, spreadsheet applications, and document management systems is expected to support daily workflows and reporting needs.

Practical notes

This position is based in Palo Alto, California, and requires physical presence at the designated work site. The engagement is full-time and classified as Exempt, with a base compensation of $180,000. No visa sponsorship is available for this role, and candidates must meet all eligibility requirements independently. There are no specific deadlines published for this posting, and hours are aligned with standard operational needs for production support. Prospective candidates should The responsibilities outlined here reflect the current scope of work for the , derived directly from the provided source material. All facts regarding company direction, product lines, location, compensation, and responsibility lists are anchored in the supplied information. Practical notes direct interested parties to verify procedural requirements and employment terms through official channels. This duty order represents a distinct version of the role description and supersedes prior outlines for this position.