Pivotal Systems

Pivotal Systems

Computer Vision Engineer – Autonomy & Perception

Palo Alto, CA

Sponsorship not specified$157k-$182kDetected 50 days ago
PythonC++AlgorithmsLinuxMachine LearningDeep LearningTensorFlowPyTorchComputer VisionRoboticsAerospace EngineeringElectrical EngineeringSensorsFirewallCommunication

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.

Responsibilities

  • implement object detection, classification, segmentation, and tracking algorithms using RGB, thermal, and multimodal sensor data
  • develop visual perception pipelines for obstacle detection, collision avoidance, and situational awareness
  • build scene understanding capabilities to support autonomous navigation and mission execution
  • Visual Navigation & Localization: Develop visual-inertial odometry, localization, and mapping algorithms
  • support SLAM and feature-based localization systems
  • design robust estimation methods that fuse camera, IMU, GPS, lidar, and radar data
  • create data processing, labeling, augmentation, and evaluation pipelines
  • optimize neural networks for real-time inference on embedded computing platforms
  • Testing & Validation: Develop simulation and testing frameworks for perception algorithms; support software-in-the-loop, hardware-in-the-loop, and flight testing activities; analyze flight data to identify performance gaps and improve perception robustness; establish metrics and validation procedures for autonomous perception systems; document system performance and support field deployments.
  • 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.

Requirements

  • Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Robotics, Electrical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or a related technical field.
  • Strong proficiency in C++, Python, or Rust.
  • Familiarity with sensor fusion and state estimation techniques.
  • Experience with ROS/ROS2 or similar robotics middleware.
  • Education: Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Robotics, Electrical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or a related technical field.
  • Experience with OpenCV and modern computer vision frameworks.
  • Experience developing perception systems using PyTorch, TensorFlow, or similar machine learning frameworks.
  • Strong understanding of image processing, geometric vision, and camera systems.
  • Experience with object detection, tracking, segmentation, and machine learning-based perception algorithms.
  • Experience developing software in Linux environments.

Nice to have

  • Experience with autonomous aircraft, UAVs, robotics, or aerospace systems.
  • Experience with visual SLAM, visual-inertial odometry, or localization systems.
  • 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.
  • Familiarity with defense industry standards and security clearance processes.
  • Attributes aligned with Core Values

Compensation

  • $157k-$182k

Benefits

  • 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.
  • The ideal candidate combines strong computer vision fundamentals with practical experience deploying perception systems on robotic or autonomous platforms.
  • Perception & Computer Vision: Design and develop perception systems for autonomous aerial platforms operating in GPS-denied and contested environments
  • evaluate and integrate state-of-the-art computer vision and AI techniques into operational systems.
  • implement vision-based navigation solutions for degraded and GPS-denied environments
  • Machine Learning & AI: Develop, train, and deploy deep learning models for onboard perception

Visa & Work Authorization

  • Familiarity with defense industry standards and security clearance processes
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This listing is sourced directly from Pivotal Systems's careers page and normalized into a canonical job model.