Senior Ground Software Engineer

Inversion; California; On-site; USD 139,000 - 201,000; Full time

Job summary

Inversion, based in Los Angeles, is seeking a Senior Software Engineer (Ground Software) to build and deploy critical ground-software systems enabling real-time control of Space vehicles. You will work with Flight Software, Avionics, and Simulation teams to create reliable tools for commanding and monitoring assets on ground and in space, reporting to the Director of Engineering, Processing Core.

The role spans test infrastructure, simulation, qualification, and mission operations, with

Qualifications

• 5+ years hands-on experience building flight or ground software.
• Bachelor’s degree in physics, math, CS, or equivalent.
• Strong in C/C++, Rust and Python; comfortable with Linux and networking.

Responsibilities

• Develop real-time software for space vehicle operation.
• Design and own command and control systems.
• Mentor engineers and onboarding interns; participate in interviews.

Skills

C/C++/Rust

Python/Bash scripting

Linux development

Networking & distributed systems

Flight/ground software experience

US government security clearance

Mentoring/interviewing

Education

Bachelor’s degree in physics, math, CS, or equivalent

Tools

React

Angular

Job description

Inversion is an aerospace and defense company pioneering advanced reentry technology to enable next-generation capabilities from space. By combining high-performance materials, precision aerodynamics, and mission-driven autonomy, Inversion is transforming reentry into an operational capability for an entirely new class of missions.

The company’s highly maneuverable reentry spacecraft, Arc, is designed for rapid global cargo delivery, hypersonic testing, and other national security missions that require precise, controlled flight through the atmosphere. Arc creates an entirely new transportation domain, unlocking unprecedented speed and global reach.

Headquartered in Los Angeles, Inversion designs, manufactures, and integrates its spacecraft under one roof, enabling the company to move rapidly from concept to flight. The company is backed by leading investors including Y Combinator, Spark Capital, and Lockheed Martin Ventures, with customers across the U.S. government and commercial space industry.

Position Overview:

As a Senior Software Engineer (Ground Software) at Inversion, you will have an instrumental impact on the interface and operation of our next-generation re-entry vehicles. You willarchitect, build, and deploysoftwaresystemsessential to the command and control of space vehicles. Working directly with Flight Software, Avionics, and Simulation teams, this role is responsible for delivering reliable, robust tools to direct and monitor vehicles and assets on the ground and in space. The result of this work is essential in enabling the world’s first re-entry vehicle designed for turning space into a transportation layer for Earth. You will be a key member of the Processing Core team, reporting directly to the Director of Engineering, Processing Core.

Key Responsibilities:

This role spans the full lifecycle of ground software, from test infrastructure and simulation through qualification and mission operations:

• Develop intuitive software that enables real-time operation of space vehicles
• Designand owncommand and control systems
• Assistwith the growth and development of the software organization, including conducting interviews and mentoring/onboarding other engineers and interns

In your first 6-12 months, you will take ownership of the ground software systems stack and deploy yoursolutionstosupportlive development and space vehicles.

Required Qualifications:

• Typically 5+ years of hands‑on experience building flight software or ground software.
• Bachelor’s degree in physics, math, computer science, or equivalent experience.
• Strong coding skills in a systems programing language (C, C++, Rust, etc.) and scripting languages (Python, Bash etc.).
• Working knowledge of networking fundamentals and distributed systems concepts, including TCP/UDP, client-server architectures, and networked debugging.
• Strong familiarity withdeveloping and deploying on Linux.
• Experience developing, verifying, and deploying software at scale.
• An innovative and optimistic approach to your work in a dynamic and uncertain environment.
• Must have the ability to obtain and maintain a U.S. government Secret/Top Secret security clearance.

Desired Qualifications:

• Experience developing, verifying/qualifying, and deploying mission critical software.
• Familiarity with communications and RF fundamentals such as encoding, modulation, forward error correction, and common aerospace standards.
• Experience building beautiful and intuitive user experiences and interfaces using frameworks like React, Angular, etc.
• Prior experience working in startups and small independent teams.

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 $139,000 - 201,000. 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.

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.

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.

Voluntary Self-Identification

For government reporting purposes, we ask candidates to respond to the below self-identification survey. Completion of the form is entirely voluntary. Whatever your decision, it will not be considered in the hiring process or thereafter. Any information that you do provide will be recorded and maintained in a confidential file.

As set forth in Inversion’s Equal Employment Opportunity policy, we do not discriminate on the basis of any protected group status under any applicable law.

If you believe you belong to any of the categories of protected veterans listed below, please indicate by making the appropriate selection. As a government contractor subject to the Vietnam Era Veterans Readjustment Assistance Act (VEVRAA), we request this information in order to measure the effectiveness of the outreach and positive recruitment efforts we undertake pursuant to VEVRAA. Classification of protected categories is as follows:

A "disabled veteran" is one of the following: a veteran of the U.S. military, ground, naval or air service who is entitled to compensation (or who but for the receipt of military retired pay would be entitled to compensation) under laws administered by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs; or a person who was discharged or released from active duty because of a service-connected disability.

A "recently separated veteran" means any veteran during the three-year period beginning on the date of such veteran's discharge or release from active duty in the U.S. military, ground, naval, or air service.

An "active duty wartime or campaign badge veteran" means a veteran who served on active duty in the U.S. military, ground, naval, or air service during a war, or in a campaign or expedition for which a campaign badge has been authorized under the laws administered by the Department of Defense.

An "Armed forces service medal veteran" means a veteran who, while serving on active duty in the U.S. military, ground, naval or air service, participated in a United States military operation for which an Armed Forces service medal was awarded pursuant to Executive Order 12985.