Head of Avionics Engineering

Inversion was founded in 2021 with the mission to build the first affordable, high cadence return capability for the commercial and defense space industries. With launching to space becoming cheap and frequent, comparable options for return must become available to allow for a robust economy in space. We believe in a future where returning from space is as common as launching to space. Inversion is building reentry vehicles faster and cheaper than ever before through a focus on simplicity.

This next-generation class of space vehicle will finally be able to provide high-frequency return of research, goods, supplies, and equipment that is critical for all future commercial activities and supply chains in space. With launch costs at an all-time low and dropping, now is the time to build these round-trip capabilities. Inversion has ambitious goals with strong financial backing to make this a reality.

As Inversion's Head of Avionics Engineering, you will spearhead the creation, design, and leadership of Inversion's avionics, electrical, and harnessing teams. Your leadership will extend to every vehicle we fly, and the infrastructure used to develop, produce, and operate our next-generation reentry vehicles. You will lead a talented team of avionics engineers and work collaboratively with other engineering disciplines, including aerodynamics, structures, and propulsion, to ensure seamless integration of avionics systems throughout the spacecraft. We are looking for somebody who not only knows the ins and outs of avionics systems, but also somebody who can bring a modern touch and apply cutting edge computation, components, practices, and workflows to the industry that have yet to be widely adopted. Your influence will be instrumental in shaping every vehicle that we build. This is an unparalleled opportunity to leave a profound mark on the future of Inversion. Joining Inversion in this capacity offers a unique chance to make a change to an early-stage startup. Here, you will be able to have an impact on an entirely new form of transportation in a dynamic and exciting setting that fosters innovation, agility, and growth.

In this role, you will be an integral part of a small cohort of experienced leaders tasked with shaping the future of engineering at Inversion.

• Report directly to the Chief Technology Officer (CTO).
• Lead the architecture and design of Inversion’s vehicle flight avionics including flight controls, navigation, communication, and data acquisition.
• Establish and execute the avionics strategy for Inversion.
• Lead, mentor, scale, and manage the avionics and electrical teams as we scale up for flight.
• Define avionics design standards, processes, and best practices to ensure efficient development and potential certification of the avionics system.
• Work closely with cross-functional teams, including aerodynamics, structures, propulsion, and software, to ensure integration of avionics systems into the overall spacecraft architecture.
• Create the first highly-producible and robust architecture system for a spacecraft.

• Holder of a Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, or a related field.
• 10-12+ years of experience in building flight system avionics and state-of-the-art complex electrical systems.
• Proven track record in designing, developing, and certifying avionics systems for aerospace applications.
• Demonstrated management expertise in leading and developing engineering teams.
• Extensive knowledge of the use of modern sate-of-the-art components, systems, and practices beyond traditional aerospace.
• Demonstrated success in architecting and implementing complex systems.
• Strong verbal and written communication skills.

• Adeptness at getting hands-on with PCB design (Altium), CAD, and/or simulation tools.
• Experience collaborating with GNC engineers on controls systems or integrating their sensors and actuators into a broader vehicle's avionics.
• Possessing a comprehensive understanding of distributed network systems.
• Prior experience certifying avionics systems for flight with regulatory bodies.
• Prior experience in a fast-paced startup environment.
• Having an unambiguous product vision and drive to transform ideas into reality.
• Possessing an active Secret or Top Secret clearance, or the ability and willingness to obtain a clearance (is desireable but not required).

• Position may require extended work hours and weekend work.

• Our office headquarters is located in Torrance, CA.  All jobs require you to work onsite unless otherwise stated in the job description.

The California annual base salary for this role is currently $200,000 - $350,000.  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.