Staff Avionics Engineer

Inversion Space Company; Vista, Northern (CA, KY); Hybrid; USD 161,000 - 221,000; Full time

Job summary

Inversion is an aerospace company headquartered in Los Angeles, pioneering next-generation reentry technology. The Staff Avionics Engineer will architect and implement core compute elements for Arc and other spacecraft, engaging in system design, interface definition, component selection, and high-reliability strategies.

You will join the Avionics team under the Director of Engineering, Avionics, and drive critical hardware development through testing and verification.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, or a related field.
• 8+ years of professional experience in design, build, and test cycles for satellite/spacecraft compute electronics.
• Experience with mixed-signal PCBs and high-speed signals.
• Experience with ECAD tools like Altium Designer or equivalent.
• Experience implementing mixed-signal PCBs with digital interfaces (UART, I2C, SPI, CAN, PCIe, Spacewire).
• Proven ability to deliver high-visibility designs with rigorous methods.
• Must be able to obtain/maintain a U.S. government Secret/Top Secret clearance.

Responsibilities

• Test, qualification, and integration of spacecraft hardware for Arc.
• Lead clean-sheet design and analyses of flight hardware from concept to integration.
• Develop, lead, and own digital, analog, and mixed-signal avionics designs and assemblies.
• Qualify designs through environmental testing (vibration, shock, thermal, vacuum).
• Lead trade studies to shape architecture and design decisions.
• Assist in architecting flight software.

Skills

Mixed-signal circuit design

PCB design

RF/communications interfaces

Power electronics

Security clearance readiness

U.S. government ITAR/compliance

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Electrical/Computer Engineering or related field

Tools

Altium Designer

Hyperlynx

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 Staff Avionics Engineer,you will be personally responsible for the architecture and implementation of the core compute elements for Inversion's next-generation vehicles. Aspects of this work will include system design, interface definition, component selection, high reliability strategy, circuit implementation, and testing/verification of the flight computer and other compute systems and platforms. You will be a key member of theAvionics team, reporting directly to theDirector of Engineering, Avionics.

Key Responsibilities

Our engineers are responsible for the complete lifecycle of the hardware they create, including development, testing, and support.

• Testing, qualification, and integration of spacecraft hardware for our upcoming spacecraft, Arc.
• Create and lead clean sheet design and analyses of flight hardware from component design through integration and testing.
• Develop, lead, and own digital, analog, and mixed-signal circuit avionic designs, and rugged electronic hardware assemblies throughout the product life cycle.
• Qualify your designs through environmental testing including vibration, shock, thermal, and thermal vacuum testing.
• Will lead and present on trade studies to shape the architecture and design.
• Assist in architecting flight software.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, or a related field.
• 8+ years of professional experience of the design, build, and test cycle for satellite, spacecraft, or launch vehicle compute electronics.
• Execute thorough mixed signal and digital circuit simulations.
• Experience designing PCBAs using Altium Designer or other equivalent ECAD design software.
• Experience implementing mixed-signal PCBs with digital communications (UART, I2C, SPI, RS422, RS485, CAN, PCIe, Ethernet, Spacewire, PCIe, etc.).
• Experience implementing advanced microprocessors/FPGAs and support structures, including DRAM,power distribution, clock generators, NAND flash, DDR, and other peripherals.
• Design, route, and analyze high-speed signals on printed circuit boards with experience using Hyperlynx (or equivalent) signal integrity analysis software, ensuring compliance with industry standards and performance specifications.
• Experience designing fault-tolerant and failover-capable electronics.
• Strong understanding and experience with requirements, systems design, and test methods for space, launch, and/or reentry environments including thermal, vibration, shock, EMI/EMC, and radiation.
• Experience using common laboratory equipment such as oscilloscopes, multimeters, power supplies, spectrum analyzers, and data acquisition systems.
• Proven track record of delivering high visibility designs resulting from rigorous methodology.
• Must have the ability to obtain and maintain a U.S. government Secret/Top Secret security clearance.

Desired Qualifications

• Experience designing high-reliability and/or safety-critical systems i.e. for spacecraft or automotive applications.
• Experience designing radiation-hardened or rad-tolerant systems.
• Familiarity with the unique design requirements of long-duration orbital missions.
• Familiarity working with common spacecraft ADCS sensors and propulsion components (star trackers, reaction wheels, thermocouples, resistance temperature detectors (RTDs), pressure transducers, solenoid valves, etc.).
• Hands-on vehicle integration and troubleshooting experience.
• Experience with Hyperlynx.
• 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 $161,000 - $221,000. 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 hiringprocess or thereafter. Any information that you do provide will be recorded and maintained in aconfidential 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 measurethe effectiveness of the outreach and positive recruitment efforts we undertake pursuant to VEVRAA. Classification of protected categoriesis 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.