Turning Space into a Transportation Layer for Earth

Who We Are:

Eras of humanity can often be defined by a dominate 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 Inversion's Head of Software Engineering, you will spearhead the creation, design, and leadership of Inversion's flight software, GNC, ground software, and mission operations teams. Your leadership will extend to every vehicle we fly, and the infrastructure used to develop, produce, and operate our next-generation reentry vehicles. We are seeking a "founder in the making", someone with a vision to expand and revolutionize the software landscape within Inversion. You will be given the autonomy and resources to actualize your vision, setting a distinct course for the future of our software capabilities. Your influence will be instrumental in shaping what we build. The impact of your role will be felt in every mission we fly and even beyond our current plans, as your strategic direction will dictate the direction of our vehicles and the influence of software to expand their capabilities. This is an unparalleled opportunity to leave a profound mark on the future of Inversion. Joining Inversion in this capacity offers a unique chance to make a change to an early-stage startup. Here, you will be able to have an impact on an entirely new form of transportation in a dynamic and exciting setting that fosters innovation, agility, and growth.

In this role, you will be an integral part of a small cohort of experienced leaders tasked with shaping the future of engineering at Inversion.

  • Report directly to the Chief Technology Officer (CTO).
  • Lead the architecture and design of Inversion’s vehicle flight software; guidance, navigation, and control (GNC); ground software; and mission operations aspects of our products.
  • Direct a highly skilled team of software engineers, GNC engineers, and operators, who are responsible for the development of systems for Inversion’s family of spacecraft.
  • Establish and execute the software strategy for Inversion.
  • Supervise, own, and manage the expansion of our software teams as we scale up.
  • Design and implement processes, systems, and training to enhance the team and overall company efficiency.
  • Implement your vision for what you deem the “art of the possible” in a company that’s a constructing a software-enabled space transportation layer.

Required Qualifications:

  • Holder of a Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, or a related field.
  • 8-10+ years of experience in building robust software for critical systems such as aerospace applications, game engines, advanced networking systems, operating systems, and autonomous vehicles.
  • Extensive experience in managing complex, real-time software engineering initiatives, working with sensors, actuators, propulsion systems, motors, engines, etc.
  • Demonstrated management expertise in leading and developing software engineering teams.
  • Deep understanding of software creation and the necessary rigorous processes for developing rapidly deployed, sustainable, and maintainable code.
  • Demonstrated success in architecting and implementing complex system software.
  • Strong verbal and written communication skills.
  • Position may require extended work hours and weekend work.
  • Our office headquarters is located in Torrance, CA.  All jobs require you to work onsite unless otherwise stated in the job description

Desired Qualifications:

  • Adeptness at getting hands-on with C, C++, Python, and C# when necessary.
  • Proven success in implementing varying levels of code review processes and essential merge request procedures.
  • Experience with Hardware in the Loop (HITL/HIL) systems, either working with, testing on, or setting up.
  • Experience collaborating with GNC engineers on controls systems or integrating their algorithms into vehicle software.
  • Possessing a comprehensive understanding of distributed network systems.
  • Experience with real time Linux systems.
  • Experience working with Field Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGAs).
  • Prior experience in a fast-paced startup environment.
  • Having an unambiguous product vision and drive to transform ideas into reality.
  • Possessing an active Top Secret or Top Secret SCI clearance, or the ability and willingness to obtain a Top Secret clearance.

The California annual base salary for this role is currently $200,000 - $350,000.  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.

Apply for this Job

* Required
resume chosen  
Dropbox Google Drive
(File types: pdf, doc, docx, txt, rtf)
Cancel
cover_letter chosen  
Dropbox Google Drive
(File types: pdf, doc, docx, txt, rtf)
Cancel

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 hiring process or thereafter. Any information that you do provide will be recorded and maintained in a confidential 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.

Race & Ethnicity Definitions

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 measure the effectiveness of the outreach and positive recruitment efforts we undertake pursuant to VEVRAA. Classification of protected categories is 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.

Voluntary Self-Identification of Disability

Form CC-305
Page 1 of 1
OMB Control Number 1250-0005
Expires 04/30/2026

Why are you being asked to complete this form?

We are a federal contractor or subcontractor. The law requires us to provide equal employment opportunity to qualified people with disabilities. We have a goal of having at least 7% of our workers as people with disabilities. The law says we must measure our progress towards this goal. To do this, we must ask applicants and employees if they have a disability or have ever had one. People can become disabled, so we need to ask this question at least every five years.

Completing this form is voluntary, and we hope that you will choose to do so. Your answer is confidential. No one who makes hiring decisions will see it. Your decision to complete the form and your answer will not harm you in any way. If you want to learn more about the law or this form, visit the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP) website at www.dol.gov/ofccp.

How do you know if you have a disability?

A disability is a condition that substantially limits one or more of your “major life activities.” If you have or have ever had such a condition, you are a person with a disability. Disabilities include, but are not limited to:

  • Alcohol or other substance use disorder (not currently using drugs illegally)
  • Autoimmune disorder, for example, lupus, fibromyalgia, rheumatoid arthritis, HIV/AIDS
  • Blind or low vision
  • Cancer (past or present)
  • Cardiovascular or heart disease
  • Celiac disease
  • Cerebral palsy
  • Deaf or serious difficulty hearing
  • Diabetes
  • Disfigurement, for example, disfigurement caused by burns, wounds, accidents, or congenital disorders
  • Epilepsy or other seizure disorder
  • Gastrointestinal disorders, for example, Crohn's Disease, irritable bowel syndrome
  • Intellectual or developmental disability
  • Mental health conditions, for example, depression, bipolar disorder, anxiety disorder, schizophrenia, PTSD
  • Missing limbs or partially missing limbs
  • Mobility impairment, benefiting from the use of a wheelchair, scooter, walker, leg brace(s) and/or other supports
  • Nervous system condition, for example, migraine headaches, Parkinson’s disease, multiple sclerosis (MS)
  • Neurodivergence, for example, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), autism spectrum disorder, dyslexia, dyspraxia, other learning disabilities
  • Partial or complete paralysis (any cause)
  • Pulmonary or respiratory conditions, for example, tuberculosis, asthma, emphysema
  • Short stature (dwarfism)
  • Traumatic brain injury

PUBLIC BURDEN STATEMENT: According to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 no persons are required to respond to a collection of information unless such collection displays a valid OMB control number. This survey should take about 5 minutes to complete.

Our system has flagged this application as potentially being associated with bot traffic. Please turn off any VPNs, clear your browser cache and cookies, or try submitting your application in a different browser. If this issue persists, please reach out to our support team via our help center.
Please complete the reCAPTCHA above.