Lead Ablative TPS Materials Engineer for Space Reentry

Inversionspace; California (MO); On-site; USD 175,000 - 244,000; Full time

Job summary

Inversion HQ in Playa Vista, CA, seeks a Principal Materials Scientist to lead development of high-performance, low-cost ablative TPS materials from formulation to automated production at scale.

You will oversee material formulation, characterize thermal responses, prototype fabrication, and scale processes for flight-ready materials while collaborating with vendors and internal teams. Mentoring engineers across levels is part of the role.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Materials Science, Materials Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or equivalent experience in a relevant field.
• Typically, 12+ years of professional experience developing, formulating, or producing materials for extreme temperature environments.
• Experience with carbon phenolic ablators, reinforced carbon/carbon, or refractory ceramic matrix composites.
• Experience with material characterization testing, including both thermal response testing and material strength testing across a wide temperature range.
• Experience prototyping and scaling material fabrication processes.
• Proven ability to work effectively in a fast-paced environment, including prototyping and rapid iteration of new products.
• This position is on-site at Inversion HQ in Playa Vista, CA.
• Must have the ability to obtain and maintain a U.S. government Secret/Top Secret security clearance.

Responsibilities

• Develop new ablative TPS material formulations optimized for performance and cost.
• Characterize material response across harsh thermal environments.
• Prototype material fabrication at small scale and mature it toward flight quality.
• Automate fabrication at large scale, drawing on composite manufacturing methods such as automated tape winding, mandrel tooling design, and elevated-temperature curing.
• Plan and execute material characterization campaigns spanning thermal response testing and mechanical property testing across a wide temperature range.
• Work with outside vendors, test facilities, and suppliers to bring new materials, capabilities, and processes in-house at Inversion.
• Mentor senior and early-career engineers across the organization.

Skills

Material science

High-temperature materials

Prototyping

Automation

Mentoring

Cross-functional collaboration

Fast-paced work

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Materials Science/Engineering or related field

PhD in Materials Science (preferred)

Tools

Ablative TPS experience

Material characterization testing

Job description

Inversion HQ in Playa Vista, CA, seeks a Principal Materials Scientist to lead development of high-performance, low-cost ablative TPS materials from formulation to automated production at scale.

You will oversee material formulation, characterize thermal responses, prototype fabrication, and scale processes for flight-ready materials while collaborating with vendors and internal teams. Mentoring engineers across levels is part of the role.