GNC Model-Based Design Engineer (Contract)

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.

About the Role

The GNC team at Pivotal develops the flight control and navigation software for our aircraft, including the Helix family, using model-based design in MATLAB and Simulink. We are looking for a contract Model-Based Design Engineer II to help lay the foundation for a DO-331 model-based development and verification process.

You will trace requirements to our control system models, build out an automated mission-level simulation test framework and its test suite, add unit tests, and automate coverage reporting and enforcement in our CI/CD pipeline. You will work closely with the GNC engineers who own the control laws, state machines, and estimators, and with the systems engineers who own the requirements.

The ideal candidate has hands-on experience with the MathWorks verification toolchain on safety-critical aerospace software, and understands control systems well enough to write meaningful tests for them. This is a fully remote contract position.

Responsibilities

Requirements Traceability

Mission-Level Simulation Testing

Unit Testing & Coverage

Model Quality & CI/CD

Education

• Bachelor’s degree in Aerospace, Mechanical, Electrical, or Computer Engineering, or a related technical field.

Experience

• 2+ years of industry experience in model-based design, verification, or GNC software development, or a Master’s degree with relevant research.
• Hands-on experience with MATLAB, Simulink, and Stateflow.
• Experience writing requirements-based tests using Simulink Test or the MATLAB unit test framework.
• Experience collecting and analyzing model or code coverage, such as decision, condition, and MC/DC coverage with Simulink Coverage.
• Experience with requirements traceability using tools such as Requirements Toolbox, Jama, or DOORS.
• Working understanding of control systems and state machines, enough to read control law models and write meaningful tests for them.
• Proficiency in MATLAB scripting and Python for test automation.
• Experience with Git and CI/CD pipelines, such as GitLab CI or GitHub Actions.
• Strong written communication and documentation skills, and the ability to work independently on a remote team.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience developing or verifying software under DO-178C and DO-331.
• Experience with Simulink Check and Model Advisor, including writing custom Model Advisor checks.
• Experience integrating Jama with Requirements Toolbox, for example through OSLC.
• Experience with Embedded Coder code generation, software-in-the-loop testing, and MISRA C compliance or Polyspace.
• Experience with Simulink Design Verifier for test generation or property proving.
• Experience automating MATLAB toolchain workflows with Simulink Projects and the Project API.
• Experience with flight control or GNC software for aircraft, UAVs, or eVTOL platforms.
• Experience with agile development workflows and tools such as Jira and Confluence.
• Experience using AI-assisted development tools, such as Claude, to speed up test development, coding, and documentation.
• Interest in aviation, RC aircraft, or drones.

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.