Senior Aerospace Test Engineer – Mechanical Validation

Inversion; Los Angeles (CA); On-site; USD 137,000 - 193,000; Full time

Job summary

Inversion in Playa Vista, CA is looking for a Senior Test Engineer to plan and execute critical mechanical test campaigns for a next‑generation reentry vehicle. You will own development through qualification, collaborating with design, analysis, manufacturing, and external partners to retire risk and validate performance.

You will lead test planning, fixture design, instrumentation, and data collection, delivering thorough reports and ensuring readiness for production.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Aerospace or Mechanical Engineering or related field, or equivalent experience.
• 5+ years of professional development or mechanical test engineering experience in aerospace/defense.
• Experience developing component and subsystem test campaigns for mechanical hardware.
• Experience writing test plans, procedures, and post-test reports.
• Experience designing test fixtures, adapters, tooling, or ground support equipment.
• Strong understanding of mechanical systems, structures, interfaces, and hardware integration.
• Experience coordinating with external test facilities, vendors, or suppliers.
• Ability to work cross-functionally with design, analysis, manufacturing, and program teams.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.

Responsibilities

• Plan and execute component, subsystem, and system-level test campaigns.
• Lead complex tests to demonstrate performance under representative environments.
• Develop test plans, procedures, success criteria, and readiness documentation.
• Coordinate with external test facilities and vendors for test execution.
• Design and develop test fixtures, adapters, and ground support equipment.
• Collaborate with structures, mechanisms, dynamics, and manufacturing engineers.
• Define instrumentation and data collection needs for test validation.
• Manage test campaign logistics and hardware readiness.
• Lead troubleshooting and rapid iteration based on test learnings.
• Author test reports and present results and risks in reviews.

Skills

Test planning

Mechanical testing

Cross-functional collaboration

Communication skills

External test coordination

Education

Bachelor's degree in Aerospace or Mechanical Engineering

5+ years development/testing experience

Experience with test campaigns for mechanical hardware

Experience writing test plans and reports

Test fixtures/ground support equipment design

Understanding of mechanical systems and integration

External facilities/vendor coordination

Cross-functional collaboration

Verbal/written communication

Ability to work in fast-paced environment

Tools

CAD tools

Instrumentation planning

Test fixtures design

Job description

Inversion in Playa Vista, CA is looking for a Senior Test Engineer to plan and execute critical mechanical test campaigns for a next‑generation reentry vehicle. You will own development through qualification, collaborating with design, analysis, manufacturing, and external partners to retire risk and validate performance.

You will lead test planning, fixture design, instrumentation, and data collection, delivering thorough reports and ensuring readiness for production.