Senior Propulsion Development Engineer

Inversion Space Company; Vista (CA); On-site; USD 140,000 - 200,000; Full time

Job summary

Inversion Space Company in Vista, CA is seeking a Senior Propulsion Development Engineer to design, build and test liquid and gas propulsion systems for a next-generation Arc hypersonic reentry vehicle. You will own fluid networks, fabricate hardware, author test plans, and lead hot-fire campaigns while coordinating with structures, avionics, software and test teams to ensure mission success.

The role requires a Bachelor's degree in Aerospace or Mechanical Engineering and typically 5+ years of

Qualifications

• Must be able to obtain and maintain a U.S. government Secret/Top Secret clearance.
• Bachelor’s degree in Aerospace Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or equivalent technical experience.
• Typically 5+ years of hands-on propulsion experience.

Responsibilities

• Design, build and test propulsion systems for the Arc hypersonic reentry vehicle.
• Own fluid networks, fabrication of hardware and propulsion components.
• Author test plans, procedures and reports and lead hot-fire test campaigns.
• Collaborate with structures, avionics, software and test teams to verify performance against requirements.

Skills

Propulsion design

Hypersonics

Systems integration

Education

Bachelor's in Aerospace/Mechanical Engineering

Tools

CAD software

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 a SeniorPropulsion Development Engineer at Inversion, you willdesign, build, and test liquid and gas propulsion systems for our next-generation Arc hypersonic reentry vehicle, with an emphasis on Attitude Control System (ACS) thrusters, fluid feed systems, and propulsion components. You will own the mechanicaldesign and analysis of fluid networks, manage hardware fabrication,author test plans,procedures, and reports,and lead hot-fire test campaigns. You will work cross-functionally with structures, avionics, software, and test teams to physically integrate propulsion hardware into the vehicleand verify system performance against mission requirements.

Required Qualifications

• Must have the ability to obtain and maintain a U.S. government Secret/Top Secret security clearance.
• Bachelor’s degree in Aerospace Engineering , Mechanical Engineering, or equivalent technical experience.
• Typically 5 + years of hands-on experience in