Sr. Flight Software Engineer (Spacecraft)

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 an Inversion Flight Software Engineer, you will have an instrumental impact on the functionality and performance of our next-generation reentry vehicles. You will own a substantial aspect of the flight software stack that enables our spacecraft to complete its mission of operating in space and eventually returning to be recovered. Your impact will be on embedded, telemetry, and control software running on custom hardware that flies the world’s first reentry vehicle designed for turning space into a transportation layer for Earth.

Our software engineers are responsible for the complete lifecycle of the software they create, including development, testing, and support.

• Write and test software for spacecraft, including drivers, networking, fault management, and attitude control interfaces
• Work with vendors to interface with sensors, actuators, and other hardware components
• Assist in creating and executing tests, including HITL (hardware in the loop) testing, integration testing, and unit testing
• Assist with ground control and mission operations
• Assist in architecting flight software for future vehicles

In addition to contributing to the flight software for our upcoming mission, you will also play an instrumental role in helping architect the software and system for our future vehicle, Arc.

• Bachelor's degree in computer science, computer engineering, or a related field.
• 5+ years of experience building, debugging, and supporting embedded software systems in C/C++
• Experience with real-time software development with FreeRTOS or other embedded real-time systems (preferably running on STM32 microcontrollers)
• Experience working with and having a strong understanding of a spacecraft’s full flight software system
• Experience developing hardware drivers using serial protocols such as SPI, I2C, UART, CAN, RS485
• 2+ years experience with microcontroller development
• Comfortable using git for version control and code review

• Experience working on flying and operating satellite and spacecraft systems
• Experience collaborating with GNC engineers and integrating algorithms into software
• Experience working with closed loop HITL (Hardware in The Loop) test setups
• Experience supporting mission operations to debug and patch flight software on orbit
• Hands-on experience with flight hardware, flat-sats, and avionics systems for testing and deployment of software
• Prior experience working in startups and small independent teams

• 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 $120,000 - $200,000.  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.