Inversion

Inversion

Senior Propulsion R&D Technician

Playa Vista, California, United States · Senior

Work authorization required$47k-$61kDetected 23 hours ago
SparkCybersecurityComplianceSEMLogisticsHardware DesignMicroscopyActuators

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Cap-exempt (no lottery)0
Sponsors this role35
Entry-level history0
PERM / green-card track0
Lottery odds (Level I)39
Fits your clock70

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About the role

  • As a Senior Propulsion R&D Technician, you will be responsible for enabling rapid production and testing of propulsion hardware by ensuring high quality at every step of the development process.
  • This role is multidisciplinary and necessitates troubleshooting and autonomous operations with different kinds of systems.
  • The ideal candidate is a quick learner, hands-on, flexible, has a good attitude, works well in a fast-paced environment, and is skilled with test equipment, instrumentation, and mechanical systems.

Responsibilities

  • Collaborate with propulsion engineers to aid the development of new hardware
  • Build and test propulsion hardware such as components, actuators, and engines
  • Perform pneumatic and hydraulic pressure testing of various propulsion components
  • Perform metallography including preparation (grind, polish, etch, mount), inspection (microscope, XRF/SEM/CT analysis), and testing (tensile, hardness) with applicable devices
  • Execute experiments, analyze data, and develop processes for optimizing additive manufacturing
  • Maintain cleanliness and organization in the shop

Requirements

  • Must have the ability to obtain and maintain a U.S. government Secret/Top Secret security clearance.
  • Typically 5+ years of experience working on aerospace or propulsion systems, or pressurized devices
  • Typically 2+ years of experience working on additively manufactured hardware development
  • Experience working in an R&D environment
  • Must be open to work either designated shift, overtime, and weekends
  • Must be able to lift up to 25 lbs. unassisted
  • Must be able to stand for extended periods - 8 hours minimum
  • Must be able to stoop, bend, crawl, and being able to maneuver in tight spaces
  • Typically 9+ years of professional experience working on additive manufacturing hardware development
  • Experience with additive manufacturing and/or metallography
  • Demonstrated experience working with engineers to improve designs or processes
  • Prior experience working in startups and/or small independent teams

Compensation

  • $47k-$61k

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.
  • 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.
  • 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.
  • Position Overview:
  • The Propulsion and Energetics team create the hardware that facilitates high maneuverability on-orbit and in the upper atmosphere.
  • You will collaborate with propulsion engineers to design and execute the procedures for metrology, metallography, inspection, assembly, integration, and testing necessary to demonstrate a design or technology is capable of our goals.

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

  • government Secret/Top Secret security clearance

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