Internship, GNC Engineering (Summer 2026) at Pivotal – Palo Alto, California

Internship, GNC Engineering (Summer 2026)

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 early 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 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.
$25 - $25 an hour