What You'll Do: Inversion's lifting-body reentry platform will be a highly maneuverable, highly accurate vehicle that is an industry first - and its guidance system is what makes that maneuverability count. As the Staff GNC Engineer (Guidance), you will be responsible for developing the guidance architecture for a high-performance maneuvering reentry vehicle, delivering high performance in the face of real-time mission updates. In this role, you will:
- Own the guidance architecture for a maneuvering reentry vehicle from concept through flight
- Develop guidance algorithms that replan trajectories onboard in response to real-time mission updates
- Build and exercise 3-DOF and 6-DOF flight simulations to develop, stress, and validate guidance performance
- Develop plant models of vehicle and subsystem dynamics to support algorithm design and simulation fidelity
- Work with the broader GNC, simulation, and mission design teams to close vehicle-level performance
- Mentor engineers across the GNC team
Required Qualifications: - Bachelor's degree in Aerospace Engineering, a related field, or equivalent experience
- Typically, 9+ years of applicable experience developing and testing guidance or GNC algorithms and systems
- Experience with modern convex optimization methods for guidance (e.g., successive convexification / sequential convex programming, lossless convexification)
- Experience developing and exercising 3-DOF and 6-DOF flight simulations
- Strong fundamentals in flight mechanics, optimal control, and trajectory optimization
- Proficiency in programming languages such as MATLAB, Python, or C++ for simulation and analysis
- 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.
- Must have the ability to obtain and maintain a U.S. government Secret/Top Secret security clearance.
Desired Qualifications: - Master's or PhD in Aerospace Engineering, a related field, or equivalent experience
- Experience with real-time onboard optimization solvers (e.g., ECOS, CVXGEN, OSQP, or custom solvers) in compute-restricted environments
- Experience with atmospheric entry guidance methods (e.g., numerical predictor-corrector approaches)
- Experience building plant models of aerospace systems (aerodynamics, propulsion, actuators, sensors)
- Experience with state estimation using limited data (Kalman filtering, sensor fusion)
- Experience building guidance code deployed to real flight hardware
- Hardware-in-the-Loop (HITL) test experience
- Prior experience working in startups and/or small independent teams
The California annual base salary for this role is currently $161,000-$221,000. 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.
