Test Engineer I

Who We Are:

Eras of humanity can often be defined by a dominant transportation mode - horse-drawn chariots, ocean-going boats, or aircraft. These were spurred by a small group of people rigorously focused on building technology to achieve faster access to more of the world.  We seek to usher in a new era of humanity defined by universal access to the whole globe free of borders and the presence of a routine way from space to Earth. To do this, we are building highly maneuverable re-entry vehicles that can loiter in orbit before precision landing back on Earth.

What You’ll Do:

As a Test Engineer at Inversion, you will play a critical role in the design, functionality, and performance of our next-generation reentry vehicles. This is a unique opportunity to work on the early stages of vehicle design, including defining vehicle architecture and creatively solving new design challenges. You will be a key member of the Accurate Landing Team, reporting directly to the Director of Engineering, Accurate Landing. In this role, you will:

• Test high-performance accurate landing and recovery systems through aerial drop test campaigns.

• Develop and own relevant test equipment, procedures, reports, and analyses.

• Coordinate and lead the logistics of flight test days and recovery.

• Coordinate test activities with external vendors and suppliers.

• Lead test operations with a high degree of safety, accountability, and responsibility.

Required Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in Aerospace Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, a related field, or equivalent experience.

• Typically 1+ years of applicable hands-on experience testing hardware systems.

• FAA Parachute Rigger Certification or equivalent.

• Demonstrated excellent verbal and written communication skills.

• Capable of working in a dynamic, fast-paced startup environment.

• This position is on-site at Inversion HQ in Playa Vista, CA.

Desired Qualifications:

• Master’s degree in Aerospace Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, a related field, or equivalent experience.

• Demonstrated history of test campaign ownership from cradle to grave.

• Experience with vehicle-level flight test campaigns and hardware qualification.

• Extensive experience testing parachutes and airborne 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 $94,000-110,000. 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.