Senior Test 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 Test Engineer

 at Inversion, you will own the planning and execution of critical mechanical test campaign

s

 for one of the most capable reentry vehicles ever developed. 

You’ll

 lead testing from early 

component

 and subsystem development through

integrated demonstration, working closely with design, analysis, manufacturing, and external test partners to retire risk and 

validate

 system performance.

This is a unique opportunity to build and lead high-consequence mechanical test campaign

s

 for a new aerospace vehicle from early development through qualification and production. You will be a key member of the 

Mechanical

 team, reporting to the 

Director of Mechanical.

Key Responsibilities

• Own the planning and execution of 

  component, subsystem, and system-level test campaigns

   supporting deployment and separation mechanism development

• Lead complex test campaigns to demonstrate system performance under representative environments

• Develop 

  test plans, procedures, success criteria, and test readiness documentation

   for mechanical development and validation activities

• Coordinate closely with 

  external test facilities and vendors

   to define test requirements, facility interfaces, schedules, constraints, and execution plans

• Design and develop 

  test fixtures, adapters, support equipment, and other GSE

   required to safely and effectively execute testing

• Partner with structures, mechanisms, dynamics, and manufacturing engineers to ensure test articles, fixtures, and instrumentation support key technical objectives

• Define 

  instrumentation and data collection needs

   in collaboration with internal and external partners to ensure test results can validate performance and inform model correlation

• Drive test campaign logistics including 

  hardware readiness, facility integration, procedural development, configuration tracking, and execution coordination

• Lead troubleshooting and issue resolution during test preparation and execution, and drive rapid turnaround on test learnings into follow-on hardware or procedures

• Author test reports and communicate results, risks, and recommended next steps in 

  design reviews and cross-functional program forums

Required Qualifications

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

• Typically 

  5+ years of professional experience

   in development testing, qualification testing, or mechanical system test engineering for aerospace, defense, or similarly demanding applications

• Experience developing and executing 

  component and subsystem-level test campaigns

   for mechanical hardware

• Experience writing 

  test plans, procedures, test readiness documentation, and post-test reports

• Experience designing 

  test fixtures, adapters, tooling, or ground support equipment

   for mechanical or aerospace hardware

• Strong understanding of mechanical systems, including structures, mechanisms, interfaces, and hardware integration

• Experience coordinating with 

  external test facilities, vendors, or suppliers

   to execute complex test programs

• Demonstrated ability to work cross-functionally with design, analysis, manufacturing, and program teams to drive tests from concept through execution

• Demonstrated excellent verbal and written communication skills

• Proven ability to work effectively in a fast-paced environment

Desired Qualifications

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

• Experience owning complex 

  mechanism, deployment, or separation system

   test campaigns from early development through integrated demonstration

• Experience testing hardware in 

  high-dynamic, high-shock, vibration, or transient mechanical environments

• Experience supporting correlation of test results to 

  loads, structural dynamics, or multibody dynamics models

• Experience developing and executing tests for

   qualified flight hardware

• Experience with instrumentation planning, sensor selection, data acquisition coordination, and extraction of design-relevant test data

• Experience supporting rapid hardware iteration and test-driven development in a hardware-rich environment

• Experience working with 

  external government, commercial, or specialized test facilities

• Experience using CAD tools to design test fixtures, support equipment, or integration hardware

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. 

ITAR Compliance:

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 ITAR here.  

Equal Employment Opportunity:

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.