Inversion

RF Design Engineer I

Playa Vista, California, United States

Work authorization required$106k-$150kDetected 8 days ago

PythonMATLABSparkCybersecurityComplianceBudgetingLogisticsANSYSPCB DesignAvionicsEMI/EMCElectrical EngineeringHardware DesignRF EngineeringCommunication

About the role

These systems open the door to new ways of testing, delivering, and operating at hypersonic speeds.
Inherently dual-use, our technology is built to meet urgent national security needs while laying the groundwork for future commercial applications.
You will be a key member of the Avionics team, reporting directly to the Director of Engineering, Avionics.

Responsibilities

As an RF Design Engineer, you will be responsible for the design, development, integration, and verification of flight and ground RF/Telemetry hardware for Inversion's next-generation re-entry vehicles.
You will sit within the Avionics team and own the end-to-end lifecycle of communication hardware - taking systems from concept development, circuit and component selection, and RF architecture definition through antenna integration, lab validation, and mission-readiness testing.
Our engineers are responsible for the complete lifecycle of the hardware they create, including design, analysis, testing, and integration.
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.
Design and develop RF hardware and communication subsystems for flight and ground telemetry applications, including transmit and receive signal chains, front-end architectures, and supporting circuitry.
Develop and maintain high-fidelity communication link budgets, modeling vehicle-level antenna radiation patterns and simulating RF performance in challenging flight and atmospheric environments.
Perform trade studies to evaluate and select commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) RF components, including transmitters, transceivers, Power Amplifiers (PAs), Low Noise Amplifiers (LNAs), filters, switches, and antennas.
Support schematic development, board-level design, and integration of RF hardware with broader avionics systems, ensuring performance, manufacturability, and reliability.
Lead benchtop and vehicle-level RF testing using standard laboratory equipment, bridging hardware with software by supporting live end-to-end telemetry validation.
Partner with software, guidance and control (GNC), power, and mechanical teams to ensure optimal antenna placement, signal integrity, thermal dissipation, and structural integrity under environmental stress.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, or a related field
Proven experience designing and analyzing RF signal chains and link budgets under dynamic flight profiles.
Foundational experience with electromagnetic and RF simulation tools (such as Ansys HFSS, ADS, or similar) for modeling antenna characteristics, matching networks, or component behavior.
Experience with RF circuit design fundamentals including impedance matching, filtering, gain/noise budgeting, shielding, and signal isolation.
Demonstrated ability to communicate technical RF concepts effectively to multidisciplinary engineering teams.
Strong understanding of requirements, systems design, and test methods for space, launch, and/or reentry environments including thermal, vibration, shock, EMI/EMC, and radiation.
Experience designing, testing, and integrating S-band and L-band telemetry or transponder systems.
Familiarity with telemetry and range safety standards (e.g., IRIG-106) and digital modulation schemes (such as SOQPSK).
Experience with PCB layout considerations for RF hardware, including controlled impedance routing, grounding, stack-up planning, and isolation techniques.
Background in high-reliability and/or safety-critical systems for spacecraft or automotive applications.
Knowledge of radiation-hardened or rad-tolerant system design.
Understanding of unique design requirements for long-duration orbital missions.
Strong software or scripting fluency in Python or MATLAB for processing lab data, automated test scripts, or RF analysis tool development.
Knowledge of aerospace environmental qualification processes, including EMI/EMC testing, anechoic chambers, vibration, and thermal vacuum (TVAC) environments.
Familiarity with the unique RF propagation challenges associated with spacecraft re-entry.
Prior work in startups and small independent teams.

Compensation

The California annual base salary for this role is currently $77,000 - $116,000.

Company info

Inversion builds advanced reentry systems to deliver next-generation capabilities from space.
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.
Our spacecraft are designed to deliver payloads anywhere on Earth in under an hour, operating through extreme reentry conditions and landing with high precision.
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.
Essential Duties and
Level II Consideration - We are also open to considering qualified candidates for a Level II role.

Equal 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.
Inversion collects and processes personal data in accordance with applicable data protection laws.

Visa & Work Authorization

security clearance up to Top Secret

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This listing is sourced directly from Inversion's careers page and normalized into a canonical job model.