Test Engineer II

Location: Playa Vista, California, United States

Department: Accurate Landing

Who We Are: 

Eras of humanity can often be defined by a dominant transportation mode - horse-drawn chariots, ocean-going boats, or aircraft. These were spurred by a small group of people rigorously focused on building technology to achieve faster access to more of the world.  We seek to usher in a new era of humanity defined by universal access to the whole globe free of borders and the presence of a routine way from space to Earth. To do this, we are building highly maneuverable re-entry vehicles that can loiter in orbit before precision landing back on Earth. 

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.