Senior Electrical Engineer

Job description

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: As a Senior Electrical Engineer, you will be responsible for the architecture, design, integration, bring-up, and verification of mixed-signal, embedded, and RF-adjacent electrical hardware supporting Inversion’s next-generation re-entry vehicles. You will work within the Avionics team to develop robust flight and ground electrical systems, owning hardware from early concept and requirements definition through schematic capture, PCB development, integration, test, and deployment. This role is ideal for an experienced engineer who has built up complex embedded and communications hardware, including software-defined radio (SDR) based systems, and can drive hardware execution across multidisciplinary interfaces. You will help develop critical hardware and systems for cutting-edge maneuverable reentry vehicles - advancing one of the most capable reentry vehicle platforms ever developed. You will be a key member of the Avionics team, reporting directly to the Director of Engineering, Avionics. Our engineers are responsible for the complete lifecycle of the hardware they create, including design, development, test, integration, and troubleshooting. Key Responsibilities: Design and support electrical architectures for subsystem and system-level hardware integration across flight and ground systems. Develop schematics, interface definitions, wiring/cabling approaches, and electrical documentation for mixed-signal and embedded hardware. Lead PCB development, component selection, board bring-up, and design reviews for prototype and production hardware. Build up and integrate SDR-based systems, including supporting power, clocking, data interfaces, digital control, RF interconnects, and hardware/software integration. Integrate RF, digital, FPGA, processor, and sensor hardware into cohesive electrical systems that meet performance, reliability, and packaging requirements. Ensure proper implementation of power distribution, grounding, shielding, EMI/EMC mitigation, and signal integrity best practices. Support hardware bring-up, benchtop debug, failure investigation, and root-cause analysis in lab and prototype environments. Prepare, review, and release schematic and PCB documentation packages for external fabrication and assembly vendors. Coordinate closely with mechanical, RF, software, firmware, and systems teams on hardware interfaces, packaging constraints, and integration plans. Document design decisions, analysis results, test findings, and recommended corrective actions. Required Qualifications: Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Physics, or a related technical field. 5+ years of professional experience developing and integrating mixed-signal, embedded, or avionics hardware, preferably in aerospace, defense, or other high-reliability environments. Experience with electrical system design for mixed-signal and embedded hardware applications. Experience with schematic capture, PCB design layout, and hardware integration. Strong knowledge of power distribution, grounding, shielding, EMI/EMC, and signal integrity principles. Familiarity with analog and digital circuit design, component selection, and interface definition. Experience supporting integration of processors, FPGA boards, RF hardware, and sensors. Experience building up and debugging software-defined radio (SDR) systems, including electrical interfaces, power, clocking, digital connectivity, and hardware/software integration. Ability to read and develop interface control documents, wiring diagrams, and electrical drawings. Experience with bench test, debug, and root-cause analysis. Familiarity with environmental and reliability considerations for deployed hardware systems. Experience preparing PCB design packages and coordinating with PCB fabrication and assembly houses for prototype and production builds. Strong written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to work effectively across multidisciplinary teams. Must have the ability to obtain and maintain a U.S. government Secret/Top Secret security clearance. Desired Qualifications: Experience with SDR platforms used in communications, telemetry, signal processing, or RF prototyping applications. Familiarity with high-speed digital interfaces, clock distribution, synchronization, and data acquisition architectures. Experience integrating embedded processors, FPGAs, and RF subsystems into mission-critical hardware. Familiarity with aerospace environmental and qualification requirements, including EMI/EMC, vibration, thermal, shock, and TVAC considerations. Knowledge of aerospace and defense test standards such as MIL-STD-461/810, DO-160, SMC-S-016, or similar frameworks. Proficiency with common bench equipment such as oscilloscopes, logic analyzers, spectrum analyzers, power supplies, digital multimeters, and protocol analyzers. Familiarity with PCB stack-up planning, controlled impedance routing, connector selection, and cabling for ruggedized hardware. Experience in startup environments or small, highly collaborative engineering teams. 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 $137,000 - $193,000. 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. 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