Senior Flight Software 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 Senior FlightSoftware Engineer atInversion,you will have an instrumental impact on thedesign,functionality,and performance of our next-generation reentry vehicles. You will own a substantial aspect of the flight software stack that enables our spacecraft to complete its mission ofextendedoperationin space,eventuallyreturningon Earthto be recovered. Yourimpactwillencompassall aspectsof fight software,including commanding,telemetry, andimplementation ofcontrolalgorithmsrunning on custom hardware that flies the world’s first reentry vehicle designed for turning space intoaviabletransportation layer for Earth. You will be a key member of the Processing Core team, reporting directly to the Director of Engineer, Processing Core.

This role is all-encompassing, and includes the complete lifecycle ofthevehicle’s software including:

• Owningcriticalsoftwarecomponentsfor a new vehicle , frominitialconceptthough design, implementation, testing, anddeployment
• Writingandtestingsoftware for spacecraft, including drivers, networking, fault management, and attitude control interfaces
• Assistingincreating and executing tests, including HITL (hardware in the loop) and HOOTL/SITL (software in the loop) testing, integration testing, and unit testing
• Assist ing with the growth and development of the software organization, including conducting interviews and mentoring /onboarding other engineers and interns

We’re a mission-driven team passionate about pushing the limits of space exploration. While there may be moments when the excitement calls for extended hours or weekend work, we prioritize creating an environment where our engineers feel inspired, supported, and constantly challenged to grow.

Required Qualifications:

• 5 + years of software development experience with a Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience
• Experience working in a systems level language like Rust, C++, or C
• Experience working in a Linux development environment
• Experience with tools and processesrelatedtosoftwaredevelopmentsuch asversion control,code reviews, issue tracking,andCI/CD environments.
• An innovative andoptimistic approach to your workin a dynamic and uncertain environment
• Position may require occasional extended hours and/or weekend work.
• Our office headquartersis located inPlaya Vista, CA. All jobs require you to work onsite unless otherwisestatedin the job description.

Desired Qualifications:

• Experience with safety critical systemsor otherfault tolerantsystems
• Familiarity with utilizing Pythonor similar languagefor testing and tooling
• Hands-on experience developing, testing, and/or operating spacecraft, flight hardware, HITL (hardware-in-the-loop), flat-sats, and avionics systems
• Experience collaborating with GNC engineers and developinginterfaces to sensors(IMUs, GPSs, Star Trackers,etc.)
• Experience with networkingconcepts(TCP,UDP,Ethernet, etc.)
• Experiencewithlow-level communication protocols (CANbus, UART, I2C,RS422/485, etc.)
• Familiarity with the Linux kernel and interfacing with it (kernel modules, device trees, etc.). Extra points for embedded Linux experience (Yocto,Build r oot, or similar)
• Prior experience working in startups and 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 $140,000 - 178,000. 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.

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 ITARhere .

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.

Create a Job Alert

Interested in building your career at Inversion? Get future opportunities sent straight to your email.

Accepted file types: pdf, doc, docx, txt, rtf

Enter manually

Accepted file types: pdf, doc, docx, txt, rtf

LinkedIn Profile

Website

What are your base salary ($USD) expectations?

If you’re currently outside a commutable distance, are you open to relocating to our corporate headquarters in Playa Vista, CA? * Select...

Are you authorized to work in the United States without sponsorship? * Select...

Were you referred to Inversion by a current employee? Select...

If you were referred, please provide the name of the employee.

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. Do you meet the above criteria? * Select...

Voluntary Self-Identification

For government reporting purposes, we ask candidates to respond to the below self-identification survey.Completion of the form is entirely voluntary. Whatever your decision, it will not be considered in the hiringprocess or thereafter. Any information that you do provide will be recorded and maintained in aconfidential file.

As set forth in Inversion’s Equal Employment Opportunity policy,we do not discriminate on the basis of any protected group status under any applicable law.

If you believe you belong to any of the categories of protected veterans listed below, please indicate by making the appropriate selection.As a government contractor subject to the Vietnam Era Veterans Readjustment Assistance Act (VEVRAA), we request this information in order to measurethe effectiveness of the outreach and positive recruitment efforts we undertake pursuant to VEVRAA. Classification of protected categoriesis as follows:

A "disabled veteran" is one of the following: a veteran of the U.S. military, ground, naval or air service who is entitled to compensation (or who but for the receipt of military retired pay would be entitled to compensation) under laws administered by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs; or a person who was discharged or released from active duty because of a service-connected disability.

A "recently separated veteran" means any veteran during the three-year period beginning on the date of such veteran's discharge or release from active duty in the U.S. military, ground, naval, or air service.

An "active duty wartime or campaign badge veteran" means a veteran who served on active duty in the U.S. military, ground, naval or air service during a war, or in a campaign or expedition for which a campaign badge has been authorized under the laws administered by the Department of Defense.

An "Armed forces service medal veteran" means a veteran who, while serving on active duty in the U.S. military, ground, naval or air service, participated in a United States military operation for which an Armed Forces service medal was awarded pursuant to Executive Order 12985.

Select...

Voluntary Self-Identification of Disability

Form CC-305

Page 1 of 1

OMB Control Number 1250-0005

Expires 04/30/2026

Voluntary Self-Identification of Disability

Form CC-305 Page 1 of 1 OMB Control Number 1250-0005 Expires 04/30/2026
Why are you being asked to complete this form?

We are a federal contractor or subcontractor. The law requires us to provide equal employment opportunity to qualified people with disabilities. We have a goal of having at least 7% of our workers as people with disabilities. The law says we must measure our progress towards this goal. To do this, we must ask applicants and employees if they have a disability or have ever had one. People can become disabled, so we need to ask this question at least every five years.

Completing this form is voluntary, and we hope that you will choose to do so. Your answer is confidential. No one who makes hiring decisions will see it. Your decision to complete the form and your answer will not harm you in any way. If you want to learn more about the law or this form, visit the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP) website at .

How do you know if you have a disability?

A disability is a condition that substantially limits one or more of your “major life activities.” If you have or have ever had such a condition, you are a person with a disability. Disabilities include, but are not limited to:

• Alcohol or other substance use disorder (not currently using drugs illegally)
• Autoimmune disorder, for example, lupus, fibromyalgia, rheumatoid arthritis, HIV/AIDS
• Blind or low vision
• Cancer (past or present)
• Cardiovascular or heart disease
• Celiac disease
• Cerebral palsy
• Deaf or serious difficulty hearing
• Diabetes
• Disfigurement, for example, disfigurement caused by burns, wounds, accidents, or congenital disorders
• Epilepsy or other seizure disorder
• Gastrointestinal disorders, for example, Crohn's Disease, irritable bowel syndrome
• Intellectual or developmental disability
• Mental health conditions, for example, depression, bipolar disorder, anxiety disorder, schizophrenia, PTSD
• Missing limbs or partially missing limbs
• Mobility impairment, benefiting from the use of a wheelchair, scooter, walker, leg brace(s) and/or other supports
• Nervous system condition, for example, migraine headaches, Parkinson’s disease, multiple sclerosis (MS)
• Neurodivergence, for example, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), autism spectrum disorder, dyslexia, dyspraxia, other learning disabilities
• Partial or complete paralysis (any cause)
• Pulmonary or respiratory conditions, for example, tuberculosis, asthma, emphysema
• Short stature (dwarfism)
• Traumatic brain injury

Disability Status Select...

PUBLIC BURDEN STATEMENT: According to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 no persons are required to respond to a collection of information unless such collection displays a valid OMB control number. This survey should take about 5 minutes to complete.

#J-18808-Ljbffr