What You'll Do As the
Senior Manager of Arc Vehicle Reentry at Inversion, you will report directly to the
Chief Engineer of Arc. In this role, you will lead the multi-disciplinary engineers responsible for the aerothermal performance, primary structures, thermal protection systems (TPS), flap actuators, and hypersonic GNC algorithms of the Arc reentry vehicle.
Key Responsibilities - Lead daily operations, roadmaps, and budget allocation for the Arc Reentry organization, managing multiple teams across structures, GNC, flight sciences, and TPS production.
- Own the technical delivery of the Arc primary vehicle structure, aerodynamic shape, and thermal protection system (TPS) integration.
- Own the technical characterization of the aerodynamic forces and moments and aerothermal environments during hypersonic reentry.
- Oversee the development, testing, and validation of Arc hypersonic reentry GNC algorithms and flight performance from reentry initiation through parachute deployment.
- Coordinate with the centralized Reentry functional group to utilize core analysis tools for CFD aerothermal modeling, conjugate heat transfer, plasma modeling, and structural dynamics.
- Manage the design, development, and qualification of high-temperature flap actuators and mechanism interfaces critical to hypersonic flight control.
- Drive TPS production, tool design, and hands-on application processes for the physical vehicle build, collaborating directly with the Production and AI&T teams.
- Recruit, mentor, and build a high-performance team, developing future engineering managers and technical leaders within the Reentry organization.
- Lead critical multi-system trade studies, balancing mass budgets, thermal margins, aerodynamic control authority, and structural integrity.
Required Qualifications - Bachelor's degree in Aerospace Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or equivalent technical experience.
- Typically 10+ years of technical experience in aerospace vehicle design, structural engineering, GNC, or aerothermodynamics.
- Typically 3+ years of formal people-management experience, with a proven track record of leading multi-disciplinary engineering teams.
- Deep technical competency in at least one core reentry field (aerothermal analysis, TPS development, hypersonic flight dynamics, or structural design).
- Proven experience managing complex aerospace programs through design, environmental qualification, and flight operations.
- Excellent verbal and written communication skills with the ability to drive alignment across hardware, software, and production organizations.
- This position is on-site at Inversion HQ in Playa Vista, CA.
Desired Qualifications - Master's or Ph.D. in Aerospace Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or a related field.
- Direct experience with hypersonic flight systems, reentry vehicle architectures, or high-temperature structural actuation.
- Familiarity with TPS materials characterization, structural bonding, and advanced composite fabrication.
- Prior experience in a fast-paced startup environment.
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 $165,000-$236,000 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.
