Staff Mission Design Engineer

Advanced Reentry Technologies Who We Are: 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: Inversion's reentry vehicles must perform across an enormous trade space — orbital insertion through hypersonic flight to precision landing. As the Staff Mission Design Engineer, you will own the mission-level view of that trade space for our next-generation vehicles. You will develop the design reference missions and flight envelopes that anchor vehicle design, and run the performance sensitivity studies that guide our most consequential design choices. Key Responsibilities: Develop design reference missions and flight envelopes for new vehicles. Lead performance sensitivity and trade studies that inform vehicle-level design decisions. Support 3-DOF and 6-DOF Monte Carlo simulation campaigns for new vehicles, from dispersion definition through results synthesis. Work directly with customers to support constellation design and mission architecture efforts. Translate customer mission needs into vehicle and trajectory requirements. Mentor engineers across the mission design and simulation teams. Required Qualifications: Bachelor's degree in Aerospace Engineering, a related field, or equivalent experience. Typically, 9+ years of experience in mission design, trajectory analysis, or flight performance for launch, reentry, hypersonic, or missile systems. Experience with trajectory optimization using an industry-standard tool (POST, OTIS, TAOS, Copernicus, or similar). Experience developing and exercising 3-DOF and 6-DOF flight simulations. Strong fundamentals in flight mechanics, orbital mechanics, and atmospheric entry dynamics. Strong fundamentals in statistical and probabilistic analysis, including Monte Carlo and dispersion analysis. Proficiency in programming languages such as Python, MATLAB, or C++ for simulation and analysis. Demonstrated excellent verbal and written communication skills, including customer-facing work. …