Pivotal Systems

Manager, Aircraft Design & Performance

Palo Alto, CA

Sponsorship not specified$195k-$220kDetected 63 days ago

MATLABCFDMechanical DesignFirewallLeadershipCommunication

About the role

Pivotal is the leader in the emerging market of electric Vertical Takeoff and Landing (eVTOL) aircraft.
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.

Lead aircraft-level design, sizing, and performance development for electric aircraft platforms.
Own multidisciplinary vehicle trade studies including weight, aerodynamics, propulsion integration, mission performance, stability, controllability, thermal constraints, manufacturability, and operational capability.
Drive rapid concept iteration and down-selection using simulation, analysis, testing, and engineering judgment.
Develop and maintain aircraft performance models and sizing tools to support design decisions and program planning.
Work cross-functionally with propulsion, structures, electrical, software, controls, manufacturing, and flight test teams to drive integrated vehicle development.
Lead technical decision-making under aggressive timelines and evolving program requirements.
Support wind tunnel testing, propulsion testing, flight testing, and correlation of simulation models to real-world data.
Identify technical risks early and drive practical engineering solutions with a strong bias toward execution and rapid iteration.
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.

Master's degree in aerospace or mechanical engineering or equivalent field
Experience with eVTOL, UAV, or unconventional aircraft configurations.
Experience with CFD and aerospace analysis tools such as STAR-CCM+, XFLR5/FLOW5, OpenVSP, Simulia/3DEXPERIENCE, MATLAB, or Python.
Flight test, prototype development, or rapid hardware iteration experience.
Experience balancing technical performance with manufacturing and operational constraints.
If you are ready for adventure, we invite you to join our amazing team and grow with us.
Experience developing conceptual and preliminary aircraft sizing tools.
Experience building internal engineering tools and automation workflows.

Demonstrated experience in early aircraft development/sizing.
Comfortable owning major aircraft-level decisions with incomplete information.
Naturally gravitates toward first-principles engineering and rapid iteration.
Attributes aligned with Core Values
Pivotal is an Equal Opportunity Employer.
All employment is decided on the basis of qualifications, merit, and business need.

Our distinctive tilt-aircraft architecture and scalable platform have been flying for over 10 years.

This listing is sourced directly from Pivotal Systems's careers page and normalized into a canonical job model.