Computer Vision Engineer - Autonomy & Perception

Job Description

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.

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

• Perception & Computer Vision: Design and develop perception systems for autonomous aerial platforms operating in GPS-denied and contested environments; 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; evaluate and integrate state-of-the-art computer vision and AI techniques into operational systems. 

• Visual Navigation & Localization: Develop visual-inertial odometry, localization, and mapping algorithms; implement vision-based navigation solutions for degraded and GPS-denied environments; support SLAM and feature-based localization systems; design robust estimation methods that fuse camera, IMU, GPS, lidar, and radar data; improve navigation performance through sensor fusion and environmental awareness. 

• Machine Learning & AI: Develop, train, and deploy deep learning models for onboard perception; create data processing, labeling, augmentation, and evaluation pipelines; optimize neural networks for real-time inference on embedded computing platforms; analyze model performance and improve robustness across operational conditions; support deployment of perception models on edge AI hardware. 

• Camera Systems & Sensor Integration: Integrate and evaluate diverse imaging systems including RGB, stereo, fisheye, thermal, and event-based cameras; develop camera calibration workflows and sensor characterization procedures; support multi-camera synchronization and calibration efforts; improve image quality, calibration accuracy, and perception system reliability; collaborate with hardware teams to evaluate and integrate emerging sensor technologies. 

• 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. 

Qualifications

• Education: Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Robotics, Electrical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or a related technical field. 

• Experience: 2–4 years of industry experience in computer vision, robotics, machine learning, or autonomous systems OR Master's degree with 1–2 years of industry experience. 

• Strong proficiency in C++, Python, or Rust. 

• 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. 

• Familiarity with sensor fusion and state estimation techniques. 

• Experience with ROS/ROS2 or similar robotics middleware. 

• Experience developing software in Linux environments. 

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

• 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.

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.

We may use artificial intelligence (AI) tools to support parts of the hiring process, such as reviewing applications, analyzing resumes, or assessing responses and identifying potential inconsistencies or verification signals in application materials based on available information. These tools assist our recruitment team but do not replace human judgment. Final hiring decisions are ultimately made by humans. If you would like more information about how your data is processed, please contact us.