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Salary: USD 161,000 - 221,000 / annual
Inversion Space is an aerospace and defense company pioneering advanced reentry technology for next-generation space missions. The company's flagship spacecraft, Arc, is designed for rapid global cargo delivery, hypersonic testing, and national security applications requiring precise, controlled atmospheric flight. Inversion designs, manufactures, and integrates spacecraft in-house, enabling rapid iteration from concept to flight. The company is backed by Y Combinator, Spark Capital, and Lockheed Martin Ventures, with customers across the U.S. government and commercial space sectors.
As a Staff Avionics Engineer, you will be personally responsible for the architecture and implementation of core compute elements for Inversion's next-generation vehicles. You will report directly to the Director of Engineering, Avionics, and serve as a key member of the avionics team.
Key responsibilities include:
- Testing, qualification, and integration of spacecraft hardware for Arc
- Leading clean-sheet design and analyses of flight hardware from component design through integration and testing
- Developing, leading, and owning digital, analog, and mixed-signal circuit avionics designs and rugged electronic hardware assemblies throughout the product lifecycle
- Qualifying designs through environmental testing (vibration, shock, thermal, thermal vacuum)
- Leading and presenting trade studies to shape architecture and design
- Assisting in architecting flight software
- Taking complete lifecycle ownership of hardware, including development, testing, and support
This position is based in Playa Vista, CA, and requires in-office presence.
REQUIREMENTS:
- Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, or related field
- 8+ years of professional experience in design, build, and test cycles for satellite, spacecraft, or launch vehicle compute electronics
- Ability to execute thorough mixed-signal and digital circuit simulations
- Experience designing PCBAs using Altium Designer or equivalent ECAD software
- Experience implementing mixed-signal PCBs with digital communications (UART, I2C, SPI, RS422, RS485, CAN, PCIe, Ethernet, Spacewire, etc.)
- Experience implementing advanced microprocessors/FPGAs and support structures (DRAM, power distribution, clock generators, NAND flash, DDR, peripherals)
- Ability to design, route, and analyze high-speed signals using Hyperlynx or equivalent signal integrity analysis software
- Experience designing fault-tolerant and failover-capable electronics
- Strong understanding of requirements, systems design, and test methods for space, launch, and reentry environments (thermal, vibration, shock, EMI/EMC, radiation)
- Experience with common laboratory equipment (oscilloscopes, multimeters, power supplies, spectrum analyzers, data acquisition systems)
- Proven track record of delivering high-visibility designs using rigorous methodology
- Must have ability to obtain and maintain U.S. government Secret/Top Secret security clearance
- Must be a U.S. citizen, lawful permanent resident, or eligible for ITAR authorization
DESIRED QUALIFICATIONS:
- Experience designing high-reliability and/or safety-critical systems (spacecraft, automotive)
- Experience designing radiation-hardened or rad-tolerant systems
- Familiarity with long-duration orbital mission design requirements
- Familiarity with spacecraft ADCS sensors and propulsion components (star trackers, reaction wheels, thermocouples, RTDs, pressure transducers, solenoid valves)
- Hands-on vehicle integration and troubleshooting experience
- Prior startup or small independent team experience
