Senior TPS Design 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:

Inversion's reentry vehicles are pushing the limits of hypersonic flight and our Thermal Protection Systems (TPS) are critical to success. As a TPS Design Engineer, you will work alongside Inversion's aerothermal and structures teams to design, manufacture and integrate a high performance, cost effective TPS for Inversion's lifting-body reentry vehicles. In this role, you will:

• Design cutting edge thermal protection systems for Inversion's Arc vehicle
• Organize development and qualification testing of TPS materials and installations
• Develop accelerated TPS integration methods to reduce manufacturing time
• Develop the analysis and design workflow of the flight heatshields for flight vehicles
• Explore trades between TPS materials and manufacturing methods
• Work with outside vendors, suppliers, and testing resources to bring new materials, capabilities, and processes in-house at Inversion

Required Qualifications:

• Minimum of Bachelor's degree in Material Science, Materials Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or Chemical Engineering OR equivalent experience in a relevant field
• Typically, 5+ years of professional experience working with, formulating, or producing materials for extreme temperature environments (Reentry, Rocketry, Hypersonics, Propulsion, Nuclear Power, etc.)
• Experience using Siemens NX or similar CAD software
• Proven ability to work effectively in a fast-paced environment
• This role is onsite at our Playa Vista, California office

Desired Qualifications:

• Professional experience in design, testing, and integration of thermal protection systems for hypersonic or reentry flight vehicles
• Professional experience working with, formulating, or producing ablative or ceramic TPS
• Strong understanding of the fundamentals behind aerothermal heating of reentry vehicles, TPS production, and thermal environments of extreme temperature applications
• Prior experience working in startups and/or small independent teams

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 $150,000-$210,000. 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.


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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.


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