Senior Engineering Manager, Arc Vehicle Reentry

Kindredventures; Los Angeles (CA); On-site; USD 165,000 - 236,000; Full time

Job summary

Kindredventures is seeking a Senior Engineering Manager for Arc Vehicle Reentry in Los Angeles, CA. The role requires leading multi-disciplinary teams in aerospace vehicle design, ensuring technical delivery, and managing operations.

Ideal candidates should have at least 10 years of aerospace experience, a Bachelor's degree, and strong leadership skills. This position emphasizes innovation in hypersonic and aerospace systems, with a competitive salary range from $165,000 to $236,000.

Qualifications

• 10+ years of experience in aerospace vehicle design or related fields.
• 3+ years of formal people-management experience.
• Deep technical competency in one core reentry field.

Responsibilities

• Lead daily operations and budget allocation for the Reentry organization.
• Own technical delivery for primary vehicle structure and aerodynamic shape.
• Oversee development and validation of hypersonic reentry GNC algorithms.

Skills

Aerospace Engineering

Mechanical Engineering

GNC

Aerothermodynamics

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Aerospace Engineering or equivalent technical experience

Master’s or Ph.D. in Aerospace Engineering

Job description

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 the Senior Engineering Manager of Arc Vehicle Reentry at Inversion, you will report directly to the Chief Engineer of Arc. In this role, you will lead the multi‑disciplinary engineers responsible for the aerothermal performance, primary structures, thermal protection systems (TPS), flap actuators, and hypersonic GNC algorithms of the Arc reentry vehicle.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead daily operations, roadmaps, and budget allocation for the Arc Reentry organization, managing multiple teams across structures, GNC, flight sciences, and TPS production.
• Own the technical delivery of the Arc primary vehicle structure, aerodynamic shape, and thermal protection system (TPS) integration.
• Own the technical characterization of the aerodynamic forces and moments and aerothermal environments during hypersonic reentry.
• Oversee the development, testing, and validation of Arc hypersonic reentry GNC algorithms and flight performance from reentry initiation through parachute deployment.
• Coordinate with the centralized Reentry functional group to utilize core analysis tools for CFD aerothermal modeling, conjugate heat transfer, plasma modeling, and structural dynamics.
• Manage the design, development, and qualification of high‑temperature flap actuators and mechanism interfaces critical to hypersonic flight control.
• Drive TPS production, tool design, and hands‑on application processes for the physical vehicle build, collaborating directly with the Production and AI&T teams.
• Recruit, mentor, and build a high‑performance team, developing future engineering managers and technical leaders within the Reentry organization.
• Lead critical multi‑system trade studies, balancing mass budgets, thermal margins, aerodynamic control authority, and structural integrity.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Aerospace Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or equivalent technical experience.
• Typically 10+ years of technical experience in aerospace vehicle design, structural engineering, GNC, or aerothermodynamics.
• Typically 3+ years of formal people‑management experience, with a proven track record of leading multi‑disciplinary engineering teams.
• Deep technical competency in at least one core reentry field (aerothermal analysis, TPS development, hypersonic flight dynamics, or structural design).
• Proven experience managing complex aerospace programs through design, environmental qualification, and flight operations.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills with the ability to drive alignment across hardware, software, and production organizations.
• This position is on‑site at Inversion HQ in Playa Vista, CA.

Desired Qualifications

• Master’s or Ph.D. in Aerospace Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or a related field.
• Direct experience with hypersonic flight systems, reentry vehicle architectures, or high‑temperature structural actuation.
• Familiarity with TPS materials characterization, structural bonding, and advanced composite fabrication.
• Prior experience in a fast‑paced startup environment.

The California annual base salary for this role is currently $165,000 – $236,000. 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 interviews and assessment of factors unique to each candidate, job‑related skills, relevant education and experience, certifications, and abilities.

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.

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.