Senior Avionics Mechanical Engineer

Turning Space into a Transportation Layer for Earth

Eras of humanity can often be defined by a dominant transportation mode—horse‑drawn chariots, ocean‑going boats, or aircraft. Those eras were spurred by a small group of people focused on building technology for faster access to more of the world. We seek to usher in a new era defined by universal access to the world free of borders and a routine way from space to Earth.

To do this, we are building highly maneuverable re‑entry vehicles that can loiter in orbit before precision landing back on Earth.

We are Inversion, a newly formed team building the next generation of spacecraft, Arc. Our mission is to make space transportation reliable, reusable, and routinely available.

As a Senior Electromechanical Engineer, you will own the design, analysis, and qualification of complex electromechanical systems that operate in the extreme environments of space and atmospheric re‑entry. You will bridge electrical and mechanical disciplines to develop integrated solutions—including actuators, sensors, mechanisms, avionics enclosures, and thermal management systems that are critical to vehicle performance and mission success. This role demands a hands‑on engineer who can move fluidly between detailed design work, first‑principles analysis, hardware testing, and cross‑functional collaboration.

You will work closely with avionics, structures, propulsion, and GNC teams to ensure seamless integration of electromechanical assemblies into our next‑generation spacecraft, Arc. You will be a key member of the Avionics team, reporting to the Director of Engineering, Avionics
.

• Design and develop flight‑critical electromechanical systems—including actuators, deployment mechanisms, separation systems, valves, sensors, and thermal control devices—from concept through flight qualification.
• Lead mechanical design and packaging of avionics enclosures, sensor mounting systems, and harnessing routes with consideration for mass optimization, thermal management, vibration isolation, and manufacturability.
• Perform detailed structural, thermal, and electromagnetic analysis using FEA and analytical methods to validate designs against spaceflight environments.
• Develop and execute comprehensive test campaigns—including functional testing, environmental qualification (vibration, shock, thermal/thermal vacuum, EMI/EMC), life‑cycle testing, and acceptance testing.
• Create detailed engineering drawings, assembly procedures, interface control documents (ICDs), and design specifications.
• Work hands‑on with fabrication, assembly, and integration teams to build, troubleshoot, and iterate on hardware rapidly.
• Drive design reviews and present technical trade studies to inform architecture and component selection decisions.
• Collaborate with electrical engineers to optimize PCB layouts, connector selections, and cable routing for reliability and performance.
• Coordinate with suppliers and vendors for custom component procurement, ensuring adherence to schedule and technical requirements.
• Support vehicle integration activities and provide technical expertise during assembly, test, and launch operations.

• Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or a related technical discipline.
• Typically, 5+ years of professional experience designing and testing electromechanical systems for aerospace, defense, or similarly demanding applications.
• Experience with PCB schematic capture and board layout using ECAD software such as Altium Designer, OrCAD, or similar.
• Strong mechanical design skills with proficiency in 3D CAD software (NX, CATIA, Solid Works, or similar).
• Hands‑on experience with structural and thermal analysis using FEA tools (Ansys, Abaqus, NASTRAN, or equivalent).
• Demonstrated ability designing for harsh environments—including vacuum, extreme temperatures, vibration, shock, and radiation.
• Deep understanding of mechanical systems—including mechanisms, actuators, fasteners, bearings, seals, and material properties.
• Working knowledge of electrical systems—including power distribution, sensors, motor…