Computer Vision Engineer – Autonomy & Perception

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.

The Autonomy team at Pivotal develops advanced autonomy capabilities for our aircraft, enabling safe, precise, and reliable mission execution from takeoff to landing. We are seeking a Computer Vision Engineer to support the development of next-generation perception systems for our autonomous aerial platforms, including the Helix family of systems.

In this role, you will collaborate with autonomy, guidance, navigation and control (GNC), flight software, and AI engineers to design, implement, and deploy computer vision algorithms that operate effectively in dynamic, real-world environments. You will work across object detection, tracking, visual localization, scene understanding, sensor fusion, and perception-driven autonomy to enable robust autonomous operations in challenging mission scenarios. 

The ideal candidate combines strong computer vision fundamentals with practical experience deploying perception systems on robotic or autonomous platforms. You will play a key role in developing vision capabilities that support navigation, obstacle avoidance, target tracking, and mission autonomy while contributing to the broader autonomy stack deployed on operational aircraft. 

Responsibilities

Qualifications

Preferred Qualifications

• Master's or PhD in Computer Vision, Robotics, Machine Learning, Computer Science, or a related field. 
• Experience with autonomous aircraft, UAVs, robotics, or aerospace systems
• Experience with visual SLAM, visual-inertial odometry, or localization systems. 
• Knowledge of camera calibration, multi-camera systems, and geometric computer vision. 
• Experience integrating lidar, radar, thermal cameras, and inertial sensors into perception systems. 
• Experience deploying AI models on embedded platforms such as NVIDIA Jetson or similar edge computing hardware. 
• Familiarity with simulation environments such as Gazebo, Isaac Sim, AirSim, or equivalent. 
• Experience optimizing perception systems for real-time performance and resource-constrained platforms. 
• Contributions to open-source robotics, autonomy, or computer vision projects.
• Familiarity with defense industry standards and security clearance processes. 

Attributes aligned with Core Values

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.

Compensation: USD 140,000 – 175,000 per year salary