Staff Vehicle Engineer

Turning Space into a Transportation Layer for Earth Who We Are: Inversion builds advanced reentry systems to deliver next-generation capabilities from space. Our mission is to make Earth radically more accessible by turning Low-Earth Orbit into an on-demand logistics domain. We see space not as a destination, but as a platform — one that unlocks unprecedented speed and global reach. Our spacecraft are designed to deliver payloads anywhere on Earth in under an hour, operating through extreme reentry conditions and landing with high precision. These systems open the door to new ways of testing, delivering, and operating at hypersonic speeds. Inherently dual-use, our technology is built to meet urgent national security needs while laying the groundwork for future commercial applications. Backed by leading investors including Y Combinator, Spark Capital, and Lockheed Martin Ventures, and working with partners such as the U.S. Space Force and NASA, Inversion is pushing the boundaries of what’s possible in space-based defense and logistics. What You'll Do As a Staff Vehicle Engineer at Inversion, you will report directly to the Chief Engineer of Arc. In this role, you will tackle some of the most complex, interdisciplinary technical challenges across the entire Arc hypersonic reentry vehicle. You will be a technical anchor that ensures all subsystems converge into a high-performance, flight-ready vehicle across structures, aerothermal, GNC, avionics, and propulsion. If you thrive on solving impossible problems, building from nothing, and refusing to accept “that can’t be done” — you’ll fit right in. Key Responsibilities Lead cross-subsystem integration and resolve complex, multi-disciplinary engineering bottlenecks across the Arc vehicle. Own system-level trade studies balancing mass, power, thermal, aerodynamic, and structural performance. Define, manage, and enforce interface control documents (ICDs) and hardware-to-hardware interfaces across all vehicle subsystems. Own vehicle-level requirements flow-down, verification plans, and system-level validation strategies. Partner directly with the Chief Engineer to drive technical reviews and make critical architecture-level design decisions under uncertainty. Develop and maintain the vehicle master mass properties, volume budgets, and performance margins. Lead root-cause investigations for complex, multi-system technical anomalies during integration and testing. Required Qualifications Bachelor’s degree in Aerospace Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Systems Engineering, or equivalent technical experience. Typically 8+ years of experience in aerospace engineering, with a focus on system-level vehicle design, integration, and multidisciplinary analysis. Proven track record of solving highly complex multi-system problems on launch vehicles, spacecraft, hypersonic systems, or reentry vehicles. Strong foundation in first-principles engineering across structural mechanics, thermal, avionics, GNC, or fluid systems. Proficiency in CAD and mechanical design for aerospace applications. Ability to operate independently and drive technical clarity in highly ambiguous environments. Excellent verbal and written communication skills. Desired Qualifications Master's or Ph.D. in Aerospace Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or a related field. Prior experience in hypersonics, high-speed atmospheric flight, or reentry vehicle systems. Our office headquarters is located in Playa Vista, CA. This position requires in office presence. The California annual base salary for this role is currently $161,000 - $221,000. Pay Grades are determined by role, level, location, and alignment with market data. Individual pay will be determined on a case-by-case basis and may vary based on the following considerations: interviews and an assessment of several factors that are unique to each candidate, job-related skills, relevant education and experience, certifications, abilities of the candidate and internal equity. ITAR Compliance: To conform to U.S. Government space technology export regulations, including the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) you must be a U.S. citizen, lawful permanent resident of the U.S., protected individual as defined by 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3), or eligible to obtain the required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State. Learn more about the ITAR here. Equal Employment Opportunity: Inversion provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, national origin, veteran status, or disability. Inversion collects and processes personal data in accordance with applicable data protection laws. If you are a US Job Applicant see the CCPA Privacy Policy Notice for further details.