Palo Alto, CA General Engineering GNC Engineer II - Navigation General Engineering GNC Engineer II - Navigation

Pivotal; Palo Alto (CA); Hybrid; USD 139,000 - 160,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, Dental, Vision

401k plan

Onsite HQ Palo Alto

Job summary

Pivotal is hiring a GNC Engineer II focused on navigation to design, implement, and verify real-time state estimation and sensor fusion for eVTOL platforms. You’ll work across the full development lifecycle, from MATLAB/Simulink modeling to embedded hardware deployment and flight-test data analysis.

The ideal candidate has strong estimation theory background, hands-on experience with GNSS/INS integration, and a track record in navigation for aerospace or UAV systems.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Aerospace Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or related field.
• 2+ years of industry experience in GNC, navigation, or state estimation, or Master’s/PhD with related research.
• Strong foundation in estimation theory including Kalman filtering and complementary filtering.
• Hands-on experience with real sensor data (IMU, GNSS, magnetometer, barometer).
• Proficiency in MATLAB and Simulink for algorithm development and simulation.
• Proficiency in Python or MATLAB for data analysis.
• Experience in C or C++ for application-level code.

Responsibilities

• Design, implement, and tune state estimation algorithms (Kalman filters, complementary filters).
• Develop sensor fusion architectures (IMU, GNSS, magnetometer, barometer, radar/LiDAR).
• Create navigation models and verify via MATLAB/Simulink and hardware-in-the-loop tests.
• Plan and analyze flight tests, tune filters based on data, document results.

Skills

Estimation theory

Kalman filtering

MATLAB/Simulink

Python

C/C++

Data analysis

Education

Bachelor’s in Aerospace Eng / Mech / EE

Master’s or PhD preferred

Tools

MATLAB

Simulink

Git

HIL testing

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.

About the Role

The GNC team at Pivotal develops the flight control and navigation algorithms that let our aircraft fly safely and precisely, including on the Helix family of aircraft. We are looking for a GNC Engineer II who focuses on navigation to design, implement, and verify the state estimation and sensor fusion algorithms. These algorithms estimate the aircraft’s attitude, heading, position, velocity, and other critical states in real time.

You will work across the full development lifecycle. That includes characterizing sensors and designing algorithms in MATLAB and Simulink, deploying them on embedded flight hardware, testing them in simulation and hardware-in-the-loop, and analyzing flight test data. You will work closely with the flight controls, firmware, avionics, autonomy, systems engineering, and flight test teams.

The ideal candidate has a solid grounding in estimation theory and hands‑on experience taking a filter from design all the way to real sensor data or hardware. Experience with aircraft navigation systems, GNSS/INS integration, and eVTOL or UAV platforms is highly desirable.

Responsibilities

State Estimation & Sensor Fusion

• Design, implement, and tune state estimation algorithms, such as extended and error‑state Kalman filters and complementary filters, to estimate attitude, heading, position, velocity, AGL, and air‑data states.
• Develop sensor fusion architectures that combine IMU, GNSS, magnetometer, barometric and air‑data sensors, and other aiding sources such as radar or lidar altimeters and vision.
• Develop sensor fault detection and isolation, integrity monitoring, and redundancy management, and define how navigation should behave in degraded modes.
• Analyze observability, filter consistency, and navigation error budgets to inform requirements and design trade‑offs.

Sensor Modeling & Integration

• Develop sensor error models (bias, scale factor, misalignment, noise, latency) and characterize sensors through bench testing and methods such as Allan variance.
• Support sensor selection, mounting, alignment, and calibration, including magnetometer hard‑ and soft‑iron calibration and IMU alignment.
• Work with the firmware and avionics teams on sensor interfaces, timing and synchronization, and integration onto the aircraft.

Implementation & Simulation

• Implement navigation algorithms in MATLAB and Simulink so they are ready for code generation and real‑time execution on embedded flight hardware.
• Develop and maintain navigation and sensor models within the GNC simulation environment.
• Take part in design and code reviews, version control, and continuous integration practices.

Verification, Flight Test & Data Analysis

• Define and verify navigation requirements through unit tests, Monte Carlo simulation, software- and hardware‑in‑the‑loop testing, and ground and flight tests.
• Plan, support, and analyze flight tests, using flight data to assess navigation performance, tune filters, and drive improvements.
• Document designs, analyses, and test results to support verification and certification activities.

Education

• Bachelor’s degree in Aerospace Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or a related technical field.

Experience

• 2+ years of industry experience in GNC, navigation, or state estimation, or a Master’s or PhD with research focused on estimation or sensor fusion.
• Strong foundation in estimation theory, including Kalman filtering (linear, extended, error‑state), complementary filtering, and probability and stochastic processes.
• Solid understanding of rigid‑body kinematics, attitude representations (quaternions, direction cosine matrices, Euler angles), and reference frames (body, NED, ECEF).
• Hands‑on experience designing and tuning an estimator on real sensor data such as IMU, GNSS, magnetometer, or barometer, whether through industry, research, student teams, or personal projects.
• Proficiency in MATLAB and Simulink for algorithm development, modeling, and simulation.
• Proficiency in Python or MATLAB for analyzing test and flight data.
• Proficiency in C or C++ for writing application‑level code.
• Strong analytical, debugging, and communication skills, and the ability to work in a fast‑paced, collaborative environment.

Preferred Qualifications

• Master’s degree or PhD in Aerospace, Mechanical, or Electrical Engineering or a related field, with a focus on estimation, navigation, or controls.
• Familiarity with GNSS‑denied or alternative navigation, such as visual‑inertial odometry, terrain or radar aiding, or SLAM.
• Experience with GNSS/INS integration (loosely or tightly coupled), inertial navigation mechanization, and inertial sensor error modeling.
• Experience working with sensors used in autonomy, such as cameras, lidar, and radar, and fusing them into navigation solutions.
• Experience developing navigation systems for aircraft, UAVs, multicopters, or eVTOL platforms.
• Experience with Git, continuous integration, and agile development workflows.
• Experience using AI‑assisted development tools, such as Claude, to speed up algorithm development, coding, and data analysis.
• Experience with fault detection, integrity monitoring, or redundancy management for safety‑critical systems.
• Experience with hardware‑in‑the‑loop testing and supporting flight test campaigns.
• Experience with air‑data and wind estimation, including airspeed, angle of attack, and sideslip.
• Familiarity with aerospace standards such as DO‑178C, ARP4754A, ARP4761, and DO‑334.
• Interest in aviation, RC aircraft, or drones.

Attributes aligned with Core Values

• Safety Above All: Demonstrates a proactive safety mindset by embedding safety into daily work, identifying and mitigating risks, encouraging open dialogue about safety concerns, and continuously improving practices and protocols.
• Customer Focus: Puts customers at the center of every action by understanding their challenges, delivering meaningful value, and supporting their success.
• Work Better Together: Seeks and values diverse perspectives, builds cross‑functional relationships, and fosters trust through empathetic, fact‑based communication and commitment to shared decisions.
• Be the Pilot: Drives results with clarity and purpose by focusing on what matters most, adapting to change, taking initiative, and owning outcomes.
• Embrace the Unknown: Navigates ambiguity with resilience and bold thinking, challenges the status quo, and combines innovative ideas with practical approaches to overcome obstacles and drive progress.
• Respect for People: Fosters a high‑performance culture grounded in respect, professionalism, and support by balancing high expectations with a healthy, collaborative environment and being a trusted, dependable teammate.

$139,000 - $160,000 a year

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

Pivotal offers a comprehensive benefits package, including medical, dental, vision, and 401k plans.

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.