Senior Dynamics Engineer, Space Vehicle Systems

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

Job summary

Inversion seeks a Senior Dynamics Engineer to own loads, structural dynamics, and multibody dynamics analyses for a leading reentry vehicle. You will work across vehicle architecture, structures, mechanisms, and tests to define dynamic environments, mature designs, and validate performance through analysis and hardware correlation.

This role is central to shaping the dynamic behavior from concept through qualification and production.

Qualifications

• Bachelor-level degree or higher in aerospace or mechanical engineering or related field.
• 5+ years in loads, structural dynamics, multibody dynamics, or related analysis for aerospace/defense.
• Strong fundamentals in rigid-body dynamics, structural dynamics, vibration, transient response, and mechanical system behavior.
• Experience with multibody dynamics for mechanisms, deployment systems, or similar complex hardware.
• Experience defining mechanical loads and dynamic environments for flight hardware or other high-consequence systems.
• Proficiency with FE tools (ANSYS/Abaqus/NASTRAN/NASTRAN-based) and modal/transient/dynamic analysis.
• Experience with multibody dynamics tools (Adams, RecurDyn, Simpack) and MATLAB/Simulink.
• Ability to work cross-functionally and communicate effectively.

Responsibilities

• Own development of vehicle loads, structural dynamics, and multibody dynamics analyses from early architecture through hardware realization.
• Define and mature load cases and dynamic environments for launch, shock, vibration, separation, deployment, and transient events.
• Develop and maintain multibody dynamics models to evaluate mechanism-driven behaviors.
• Collaborate with structures and mechanisms teams to translate analysis into design requirements and interface loads.
• Support development of structural dynamics models including modal characterization and transient response for flight hardware.
• Drive dynamic trade studies to evaluate architecture and deployment performance under evolving design conditions.
• Define test objectives, instrumentation needs, and correlation plans for mechanism and dynamic development tests.
• Correlate simulation results to test data and refine models and design recommendations.
• Present analysis progress, risks, and recommended paths in design reviews and forums.
• Operate in a fast-paced, ambiguous development environment balancing fidelity and schedule.

Skills

Loads analysis

Structural dynamics

Multibody dynamics

Cross-functional collaboration

Communication skills

Fast-paced environment

Python/MATLAB scripting

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Aerospace/Mechanical Engineering or related field

Master’s degree in Aerospace/Mechanical Engineering or related field

Tools

ANSYS

Abaqus

NASTRAN

FEMAP

MATLAB/Simulink

Adams

RecurDyn

Simpack

Job description

Inversion seeks a Senior Dynamics Engineer to own loads, structural dynamics, and multibody dynamics analyses for a leading reentry vehicle. You will work across vehicle architecture, structures, mechanisms, and tests to define dynamic environments, mature designs, and validate performance through analysis and hardware correlation.

This role is central to shaping the dynamic behavior from concept through qualification and production.