Senior Mechanical Engineer, Spacecraft & Reentry Systems

Inversion; California (MO); On-site; USD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

Inversion, based in Playa Vista, CA, seeks a Senior Mechanical Engineer to own cradle‑to‑grave development of mission‑critical hardware for advanced reentry vehicles. You’ll drive mechanical system architecture, oversee flight hardware, prototype systems, tooling, and integration, moving quickly from concept to build.

You will collaborate with cross‑functional teams, perform structural and thermal analyses, lead testing campaigns, and develop detailed drawings and interfaces.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Aerospace or Mechanical Engineering or equivalent technical experience.
• 5+ years of professional experience developing hardware for aerospace, defense, or demanding applications.
• Proficiency in 3D CAD software (NX, CATIA, SolidWorks).
• Hands-on structural and thermal analysis with FEA tools (ANSYS, Abaqus, NASTRAN).
• Design for harsh environments (vacuum, extreme temperatures, shock, vibration).
• Experience with mechanisms, actuators, fasteners, bearings, seals, materials properties.
• Familiarity with environmental testing and spaceflight hardware qualification programs.
• Ability to create detailed engineering drawings with GD&T.

Responsibilities

• Design and develop flight-critical mechanical systems from concept through qualification.
• Lead subsystem integration and vehicle packaging for cohesive systems.
• Perform structural and thermal analyses to validate designs for spaceflight environments.
• Plan and execute comprehensive test campaigns including environmental qualifications.
• Create detailed drawings, ICDs, and design specifications for hardware.
• Work with manufacturing to build, troubleshoot, and iterate hardware quickly.
• Lead design reviews and trade studies on architecture and components.
• Coordinate with suppliers for procurement while meeting schedule and requirements.
• Support vehicle integration, assembly, test, and launch activities.

Skills

3D CAD

FEA analysis

GD&T

Mechanical design

Systems integration

Education

Bachelor's degree in Aerospace or Mechanical Engineering

Master’s degree (preferred)

Tools

NX

CATIA

SolidWorks

ANSYS

Abaqus

NASTRAN

Job description

Inversion, based in Playa Vista, CA, seeks a Senior Mechanical Engineer to own cradle‑to‑grave development of mission‑critical hardware for advanced reentry vehicles. You’ll drive mechanical system architecture, oversee flight hardware, prototype systems, tooling, and integration, moving quickly from concept to build.

You will collaborate with cross‑functional teams, perform structural and thermal analyses, lead testing campaigns, and develop detailed drawings and interfaces.