Test Engineer II

Inversionspace; California (MO); On-site; USD 106,000 - 150,000; Full time

Job summary

Inversionspace is hiring a Test Engineer at its Playa Vista, CA headquarters. This position involves testing advanced reentry systems and leading flight test operations. Candidates require a Bachelor’s degree and at least 2 years of relevant experience. The role offers a competitive salary ranging from $106,000 to $150,000 annually, with good prospects for personal growth, working in a fast-paced startup environment.

The company is dedicated to making Earth more accessible and ensures compliance with ITAR regulations, requiring U.S. citizenship or eligibility for authorizations.

Qualifications

• 2+ years of applicable hands-on experience testing hardware systems.
• Experience with vehicle-level flight test campaigns and hardware qualification.
• Experience testing parachutes and airborne systems.

Responsibilities

• Test high-performance accurate landing and recovery systems through ground test and aerial drop test.
• Develop and own test equipment, procedures, reports and analyses.
• Lead test operations with a high degree of safety and responsibility.

Skills

Excellent verbal and written communication skills

Ability to work in a dynamic, fast-paced startup environment

Hands-on experience testing hardware systems

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Aerospace Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or related field

Master’s degree in Aerospace Engineering or related field

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 Test Engineer at Inversion, you will play a critical role in the design, functionality, and performance of our next-generation reentry vehicles. This is a unique opportunity to work on the early stages of vehicle design, including defining vehicle architecture and creatively solving new design challenges. You will be a key member of the Accurate Landing Team, reporting directly to the Director of Engineering, Accurate Landing. In this role, you will:

• Test high-performance accurate landing and recovery systems through ground test and aerial drop test campaigns.
• Develop and own relevant test equipment, procedures, reports and analyses.
• Coordinate and lead the logistics of flight test days and recovery.
• Coordinate test activities with external vendors and suppliers.
• Lead test operations with a high degree of safety, accountability, and responsibility.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Aerospace Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, a related field, or equivalent experience.
• Typically 2+ years of applicable hands‑on experience testing hardware systems.
• Demonstrated excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Capable of working in a dynamic, fast‑paced startup environment.
• This position is on‑site at Inversion HQ in Playa Vista, CA.

Desired Qualifications

• Master’s degree in Aerospace Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, a related field, or equivalent experience.
• Demonstrated history of test campaign ownership from cradle to grave.
• Experience with vehicle‑level flight test campaigns and hardware qualification.
• Experience testing parachutes and airborne systems.

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 $106,000-150,000. 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.

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. Learn more about the ITAR here.

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.

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.