Senior Test Engineer (Avionics)
Inversion
$137,000 - $193,000 / year
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Description
Advanced Reentry Technologies
Who We Are:
Inversion is an aerospace and defense company pioneering advanced reentry technology to enable next-generation capabilities from space. By combining high-performance materials, precision aerodynamics, and mission-driven autonomy, Inversion is transforming reentry into an operational capability for an entirely new class of missions.
The company’s highly maneuverable reentry spacecraft, Arc, is designed for rapid global cargo delivery, hypersonic testing, and other national security missions that require precise, controlled flight through the atmosphere. Arc creates an entirely new transportation domain, unlocking unprecedented speed and global reach.
Headquartered in Los Angeles, Inversion designs, manufactures, and integrates its spacecraft under one roof, enabling the company to move rapidly from concept to flight. The company is backed by leading investors including Y Combinator, Spark Capital, and Lockheed Martin Ventures, with customers across the U.S. government and commercial space industry.
Position Overview
As a Senior Avionics Test Engineer at Inversion you will own the electrical validation, functional testing, and environmental verification of the entire Arc avionics suite. You will bridge the gap between design and flight readiness, developing bench tests, configuring complex Hardware-in-the-Loop (HIL) environments, and design-to-build electrical ground support equipment (GSE). Operating with high autonomy, you will define verification methodologies, lead debug efforts for hardware-to-software interfaces, and ensure the vehicle electronics function flawlessly under simulated flight conditions.
Key Responsibilities:
- Own the design, build, and operational execution of Hardware-in-the-Loop (HIL) testbeds and bench-level automated test setups for the Arc vehicle.
- Develop and release vehicle-level avionics functional test plans, verification procedures, and automated test scripts to validate electrical power, computers, and RF subsystems.
- Design and manufacture electrical Ground Support Equipment (GSE), breakout boxes, and custom test cables required for vehicle checkout.
- Perform system-level electrical integration testing, signal mapping, and bus health analysis for communication networks (CAN, Ethernet, Serial, SPI, I2C).
- Analyze avionics telemetry and sensor data during execution of simulated flight profiles to ensure hardware conforms to technical performance margins.
- Lead the investigation and troubleshooting of electrical failures, telemetry drops, and hardware-software anomalies discovered during test campaigns.
- Define environmental qualification test plans (thermal vacuum, vibration, shock, EMI/EMC) specifically tailored for avionics flight hardware.
- Mentor junior test engineers, standardizing data-driven analysis techniques and automated test suite architectures.
Required Qualifications:
- Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or equivalent technical experience.
- Typically 5+ years of hands-on experience testing and validating high-reliability avionics, complex electrical subsystems, or embedded systems.
- Strong proficiency in Python or equivalent programming languages for test automation, hardware scripting, and data analysis.
- Direct experience configuring and utilizing standard laboratory diagnostic equipment (oscilloscopes, digital multimeters, spectrum analyzers, and logic analyzers).
- Experience building or operating automated test environments, HIL test beds, or telemetry systems.
- Deep technical understanding of analog/digital signal path debugging and serial communication protocols.
- Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
- Must have the ability to obtain and maintain a U.S. government Secret/Top Secret security clearance.
Desired Qualifications:
- Experience qualifying avionics hardware to military or aerospace environmental standards, including TCYC, TVAC, shock, and vibe qualification campaigns.
- Familiarity with RF telemetry, high-voltage battery systems, and pyrotechnic trigger systems.
- Experience with aerospace safety-critical systems or fault-tolerant hardware architectures.
- Prior experience supporting full-vehicle integration campaigns.
- Prior experience in a fast-paced aerospace startup or small hardware development team.
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 $137,000 - $193,000. 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.
Benefits
- stock options
About this role
Inversion is building spacecraft designed to deliver payloads anywhere on Earth in under an hour, and they need a Senior Avionics Test Engineer to validate the electronics that make that possible. You'd own the electrical qualification of their Arc vehicle's entire avionics suite—designing and operating Hardware-in-the-Loop testbeds, developing functional test plans, building custom ground support equipment, and leading the debug of hardware-software failures. This is hands-on work that directly determines flight readiness, requiring you to bridge design intent with real-world performance under simulated extreme conditions.
The role demands 5+ years validating high-reliability avionics or embedded systems, strong Python skills for test automation, and fluency with standard lab diagnostics and serial communication protocols. You'll also need the ability to obtain a security clearance and be comfortable with ITAR compliance requirements. If you've qualified aerospace hardware to military environmental standards, worked with RF telemetry or pyrotechnic systems, or spent time in a fast-moving hardware startup, those experiences are particularly valued here.
This is an in-office position in Playa Vista, California, reporting directly to the Manager of Arc Vehicle Avionics. The salary range is $137,000–$193,000, with individual pay determined by experience, skills, and background.
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Pay for this role
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