Senior Propulsion Development Engineer
Inversion
$137,000 - $193,000 / year
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Description
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 Propulsion Development Engineer at Inversion, you will design, build, and test liquid and gas propulsion systems for our next-generation Arc hypersonic reentry vehicle, with an emphasis on Attitude Control System (ACS) thrusters, fluid feed systems, and propulsion components. You will own the mechanical design and analysis of fluid networks, manage hardware fabrication, author test plans, procedures, and reports, and lead hot-fire test campaigns. You will work cross-functionally with structures, avionics, software, and test teams to physically integrate propulsion hardware into the vehicle and verify system performance against mission requirements.
Required Qualifications
- Must have the ability to obtain and maintain a U.S. government Secret/Top Secret security clearance.
- Bachelor’s degree in Aerospace Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or equivalent technical experience.
- Typically 5+ years of hands-on experience in the design, build, and testing of high-pressure fluid or rocket/spacecraft propulsion systems.
- Expertise using CAD software (Siemens NX or equivalent) for mechanical packaging and fluid line routing.
- Strong foundation in fluid mechanics, thermodynamics, structural mechanics, and materials compatibility.
- Experience working hands-on with high-pressure fluid components, plumbing (tubing, fittings, manifold blocks), and pneumatic systems.
- Demonstrated excellent verbal and written communication skills with the ability to write detailed test and hazard procedures.
Desired Qualifications
- Direct experience with spacecraft Attitude Control Systems (ACS), cold-gas, warm-gas, or monopropellant/bipropellant thruster systems.
- Familiarity with high-pressure gas system operations, nitrogen/helium systems, and safety-critical hazard controls.
- Experience with ANSYS Mechanical or equivalent FEA software.
- Experience using Python, MATLAB, or GFSSP for fluid system analysis.
- Prior experience performing acceptance and qualification testing of propulsion components or systems in accordance with standards such as SMC-S-016, GSFC-STD-7000A.
- Prior experience in a fast-paced aerospace startup, collegiate rocket/propulsion team, or small independent hardware 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.
About this role
Inversion is building spacecraft designed to deliver payloads anywhere on Earth in under an hour, and they're looking for a Senior Propulsion Development Engineer to design and own the propulsion systems that make this possible. In this role, you'll design, build, and test liquid and gas propulsion systems for their Arc hypersonic reentry vehicle—with particular focus on Attitude Control System thrusters, fluid feed systems, and related components. You'll handle mechanical design and analysis of fluid networks, manage hardware fabrication, write test plans and procedures, lead hot-fire test campaigns, and work across structures, avionics, software, and test teams to integrate and verify your systems against mission requirements.
This is a hands-on engineering position that demands deep expertise in high-pressure fluid systems and spacecraft propulsion. You'll need at least five years of direct experience designing, building, and testing rocket or spacecraft propulsion systems, strong CAD skills (Siemens NX or equivalent), and solid grounding in fluid mechanics, thermodynamics, and materials compatibility. Experience with ACS thrusters, cold-gas or monopropellant systems, high-pressure gas operations, and propulsion component testing to aerospace standards is highly valued. The role also requires the ability to obtain a U.S. government security clearance and U.S. citizenship or equivalent ITAR authorization.
Based in Playa Vista with required in-office presence, this position offers a salary range of $137,000 to $193,000. It's suited for someone with aerospace startup experience or a background in collegiate or independent hardware teams who wants to work on national security and next-generation space logistics at a well-backed company.
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Pay for this role
$137,000 to $193,000 per year
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