Internship, Autonomy - Path Planning (Summer… at Pivotal · Palo Alto

Summary: Pivotal is a leader in the emerging market of electric Vertical Takeoff and Landing (eVTOL) aircraft, designing and manufacturing light eVTOL aircraft. They are seeking an Autonomy Intern – Path Planning to support the development of intelligent navigation and motion-planning algorithms for their Helix platform, collaborating with engineers to design and evaluate planning algorithms in dynamic environments. Responsibilities: - Design and implement path planning and trajectory generation algorithms for autonomous systems - Develop and evaluate motion planning solutions for our Helix platform in simulation and real-world environments - Integrate planning modules within robotics software frameworks such as ROS-based autonomy stacks - Work with perception and control modules to enable end-to-end autonomous navigation - Test and validate planning algorithms through simulation, hardware-in-the-loop, and flight experiments - Analyze performance metrics and improve robustness, safety, and computational efficiency - Collaborate with engineers to deploy autonomy features onto our helix platform Required Qualifications: - Currently pursuing a BS, MS, or PhD in Robotics, Computer Science, Aerospace Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or a related field - Strong programming skills in C++ and/or Python, MATLAB - Knowledge of robot motion planning concepts (e.g., graph search, sampling-based planning, and trajectory optimization) - Familiarity with robotics software frameworks such as ROS - Understanding robot kinematics, dynamics, and control basics - Strong problem-solving and debugging skills Preferred Qualifications: - Experience with UAV platforms or aerial robotics - Familiarity with the PX4 autopilot software stack - Hands-on experience integrating autonomy software with real hardware systems - Experience with planning algorithms such as: A*, D*, RRT / RRT* - Experience with simulation environments (e.g., Gazebo, AirSim) - Familiarity with state estimation, mapping, or perception systems - Experience running field tests or flight experiments Required Skills: C++, Python, robot motion planning, ROS Important Skills: robot kinematics, UAV platforms, planning algorithms, simulation environments Nice-to-Have Skills: debugging Internship Start Date: Start in 2026 Summer