Staff Special Projects Engineer

About this role

<div class="content-intro"><p><strong>Turning Space into a Transportation Layer for Earth</strong></p></div><h3>Who We Are:</h3> <p>Inversion builds advanced reentry systems to deliver next-generation capabilities from space.<br> <br>Our mission is to make Earth radically more accessible by turning Low-Earth Orbit into an on-demand logistics domain. We see space not as a destination, but as a platform — one that unlocks unprecedented speed and global reach.<br> <br>Our spacecraft are designed to deliver payloads anywhere on Earth in under an hour, operating through extreme reentry conditions and landing with high precision. These systems open the door to new ways of testing, delivering, and operating at hypersonic speeds.<br> <br>Inherently dual-use, our technology is built to meet urgent national security needs while laying the groundwork for future commercial applications. Backed by leading investors including Y Combinator, Spark Capital, and Lockheed Martin Ventures, and working with partners such as the U.S. Space Force and NASA, Inversion is pushing the boundaries of what’s possible in space-based defense and logistics.</p> <p><strong><span data-contrast="auto">What You’ll Do:</span></strong><span data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335559740":259}"> </span></p> <p><span data-contrast="none">The Special Projects team at Inversion is an elite force within the Office of the CTO. It consists of highly capable engineering experts from diverse fields. The charter of this group is to tackle Inversion’s new technology developments. The Special Projects team is designed from the beginning to operate effectively within ambiguity. They will be the first to ideate, create, and deploy new products, new technologies, and new research in Inversion. Individuals in the Special Projects team will be expected to rapidly gain depth and breadth of understanding of a wide range of interdisciplinary skills and technologies that may be unfamiliar to you.</span><span data-ccp-props="{}"> </span></p> <p><span data-contrast="auto">Individuals in this team are expected to rapidly gain depth and breadth across interdisciplinary domains that may be completely unfamiliar. If you require structure, a large team, or step-by-step direction — this is not the place for you. If you thrive on solving impossible problems, building from nothing, and refusing to accept “that can’t be done” — you’ll fit right in.</span><span data-ccp-props="{"335559739":240}"> </span></p> <p><span data-contrast="auto">In this role, you will:</span><span data-ccp-props="{"335559738":240,"335559739":240}"> </span></p> <ul> <li><span data-contrast="auto">Partner directly with the CTO to conceive, architect, and develop new hypersonic and reentry vehicle concepts and technologies.</span><span data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335559738":240,"335559739":240,"335559740":259}"> </span></li> <li><span data-contrast="auto">Lead the system-level design and performance modeling of advanced flight systems, including trajectory analysis, GNC trade studies, and overall vehicle performance optimization.</span><span data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335559738":240,"335559739":240,"335559740":259}"> </span></li> <li><span data-contrast="auto">Create conceptual and detailed CAD models for proposed systems and subsystems as part of early-stage proposals and design efforts.</span><span data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335559738":240,"335559739":240,"335559740":259}"> </span></li> <li><span data-contrast="auto">Translate high-level product ideas into executable proposals that win contracts and enable new technology development within Inversion.</span><span data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335559738":240,"335559739":240,"335559740":259}"> </span></li> <li><span data-contrast="auto">Build, test, and iterate — from running 6DOF simulations to hands-on prototyping and experimental validation — in a fast, skunkworks-style environment.</span><span data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335559738":240,"335559739":240,"335559740":259}"> </span></li> <li><span data-contrast="auto">Operate independently, make hard technical decisions under uncertainty, and drive ideas to reality without waiting for permission or perfect data.</span><span data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335559738":240,"335559739":240,"335559740":259}"> </span></li> </ul> <p><strong><span data-contrast="auto">Required Qualifications:</span></strong><span data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335559740":259}"> </span></p> <ul> <li><span data-contrast="auto">10+ years of experience in…