Senior Embedded Systems Engineer – Verification & Validation Focus

Pivotal • Palo Alto, CA

98d • $151,000 - $194,000

About The Position

Pivotal is designing and delivering the next generation of electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft. Our mission is to make personal flight accessible, practical, and safe. As we expand our production and certification efforts, we are looking for experienced embedded software engineers who thrive in safety-critical environments and want to help define the future of aviation. We are seeking an Embedded Systems Software Engineer to lead and contribute to the development, integration, and rigorous verification of safety-critical flight software. You will work across low-level hardware interfaces, embedded operating systems, and avionics networks to support flight control, propulsion management, and system safety. This role is especially suited for engineers with a strong background in DO-178C compliance, embedded V&V testing, and real-time operating systems.

Requirements

• Bachelor's or Master’s degree in Computer Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or related field.
• 5+ years of experience in embedded software engineering for aerospace, automotive, or robotics systems.
• Deep experience with C/C++, embedded Linux, and/or RTOS (e.g., VxWorks, Green Hills).
• Strong understanding of real-time systems, deterministic behavior, and low-level debugging.
• Demonstrated experience writing and executing embedded software verification plans.
• Familiarity with avionics communication protocols (CAN, ARINC 429, MIL-STD-1553, SPI, I²C, UART).
• Proficiency with software requirements management, test case development, and formal documentation.

Nice To Haves

• Experience supporting FAA certification efforts under DO-178C Level C or higher.
• Familiarity with Simulink, MATLAB, Speedgoat, and HIL test platforms.
• Prior work with autonomous systems, electric propulsion, or thermal management software.
• Experience with Git-based workflows, CI/CD for embedded targets, and safety-critical DevOps.
• Familiarity with digital engineering platforms such as DOORS-NG, JIRA, Jama, or 3DEXPERIENCE.

Responsibilities

• Develop, test, and maintain embedded software in C/C++, Rust, and/or Ada for safety-critical systems on custom avionics and powertrain hardware.
• Design and implement real-time control logic for propulsion, thermal management, and power distribution systems.
• Execute full life-cycle development from software architecture and requirements to integration, test, and certification artifacts.
• Author and maintain certification-compliant software documentation, including Software Verification Cases & Procedures (SVCP), Software Configuration Management Plans (SCMP), and Requirements Traceability Matrices (RTM).
• Develop and execute unit tests, integration tests, hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) tests, and automated regression tests.
• Integrate and debug software on RTOS and embedded Linux platforms; perform kernel-level diagnostics and performance optimization.
• Support flight test operations through rapid diagnostics, telemetry toolchains, and field-deployable updates.
• Collaborate with systems, electrical, and GNC teams to ensure clean interfaces and complete system-level validation.
• Drive rigorous software verification and validation strategies aligned with DO-178C and ARP4754A processes.
• Lead or contribute to software reviews, including PDR, CDR, TRR, and FRR milestones.

Benefits

• Medical insurance
• Dental insurance
• Vision insurance
• 401k plans

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level
• Education Level: Bachelor's degree
• Number of Employees: 51-100 employees