TPS Technician I Hardware

Front Door Defense; Los Angeles, Northern (CA, KY); Hybrid; USD 39,000 - 51,000; Full time

Job summary

Inversion seeks a TPS Technician I to fabricate, assemble, inspect, and document thermal protection system hardware for the Arc hypersonic reentry vehicle. You will work closely with engineers and production teams to turn released TPS designs into flight-ready components, ensuring precision and process discipline.

The role requires hands-on fabrication experience, attention to detail, and the ability to follow detailed procedures.

Qualifications

• High school diploma or GED required.
• 1+ years hands-on experience in manufacturing, composites, aerospace assembly, automotive bodywork, fabrication, bonding, coatings, or related hardware environment.
• Attention to detail, craftsmanship, and pride in high-quality work.
• Ability to follow detailed work instructions, drawings, inspection requirements, and safety procedures.
• Experience with common hand tools, measuring tools, and shop equipment.
• Ability to perform repetitive, precise manual work while maintaining quality.
• Experience handling adhesives, sealants, coatings, and cleaning materials with PPE.
• Strong organization and documentation discipline.
• Ability to lift 50 lbs unassisted and work in various positions.
• Willingness to work non-standard shifts, overtime, and weekends.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.

Responsibilities

• Fabricate, assemble, inspect, and document TPS hardware to flight-ready standards.
• Prepare vehicle surfaces and TPS components; perform bonding and assembly operations.
• Support fit checks and inspections; document work per procedures.
• Collaborate with engineers, technicians, and production staff to translate designs into hardware.
• Maintain precise workmanship and process discipline in a hands-on role.

Skills

Detail-oriented

Manual dexterity

Reading & following instructions

Strong communication

Education

High school diploma or GED

Tools

Hand tools

Measuring tools

Shop equipment

Job description

TPS Technician I

Fabricate, assemble, inspect, and document TPS hardware to flight-ready standards

Location: Los Angeles, California

Compensation: $28 - 37 USD / hour

About The Role

TPS Technician I

Playa Vista, California, United States

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 TPS Technician at Inversion, you will support the fabrication, application, assembly, inspection, and repair of thermal protection system (TPS) hardware for the Arc hypersonic reentry vehicle. You will work directly with engineers, technicians, and production personnel to turn released TPS designs and processes into flight-ready hardware. This is a hands-on role focused on precise execution, workmanship, and process discipline. You will prepare vehicle surfaces and TPS components, perform bonding and assembly operations, support fit checks and inspections, and document work in accordance with released procedures.

Required Qualifications

• High school diploma or GED.
• Typically 1+ years of hands-on experience in manufacturing, composites, aerospace assembly, automotive bodywork, fabrication, bonding, coatings, or a related hardware environment.
• Demonstrated attention to detail, strong craftsmanship, and pride in producing high-quality work.
• Ability to follow detailed work instructions, drawings, inspection requirements, and safety procedures.
• Experience using common hand tools, measuring tools, and shop equipment.
• Ability to perform repetitive, precise manual work while maintaining consistent quality.
• Ability to work with adhesives, sealants, coatings, and cleaning materials while following applicable PPE and safety requirements.
• Strong organization and documentation discipline.
• Ability to lift 50 lbs. unassisted and work in various positions, including standing, kneeling, bending, crawling, and overhead work.
• Ability to work non-standard shifts, overtime, and weekends as required to support vehicle builds, test campaigns, and flight operations.
• Demonstrated excellent verbal and written communication skills.

Desired Qualifications

• Experience with thermal protection systems, high-temperature insulation, ceramic materials, ablative materials, composites, or bonded aerospace structures.
• Experience with aerospace cleaning, surface preparation, masking, bonding, curing, or controlled-material handling.
• Familiarity with work orders, drawings, bills of materials, inventory systems, and configuration-controlled manufacturing environments.
• Experience operating shop equipment such as vacuum systems, ovens, curing equipment, mixers, sanders, cutting tools, or inspection equipment.
• Familiarity with aerospace quality practices, foreign object debris prevention, non-conformance documentation, and traceability requirements.
• Experience supporting spacecraft, launch vehicle, aircraft, UAV, motorsport, or other high-performance hardware builds.
• Prior experience in a fast-paced startup, prototype, R&D, or high-mix/low-volume production environment.
• Ability to provide practical feedback on work instructions, tooling, material handling, and build processes to improve safety, quality, and execution.

Our office headquarters is located in Playa Vista, CA. This position requires in office presence.

The California hourly pay for this role is currently $28 - $37. 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. 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.