Engineering Manager, Vehicle Integration & Test Playa Vista, California,

Engineering Manager, Vehicle Integration & Test

Turning Space into a Transportation Layer for Earth

Who We Are:

Inversion builds advanced reentry systems to deliver next‑generation capabilities from space. We are making 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.

What You’ll Do

As the Manager of Arc Vehicle Integration & Test at Inversion, you will report directly to the Chief Engineer of Arc. In this role, you will lead the physical assembly, integration, and testing of our next‑generation Arc hypersonic reentry vehicle. You will own the end‑to‑end execution of the Arc integration and environmental qualification campaigns to deliver the vehicle for flight operations.

You will have direct line authority over daily tasking and execution priorities for the Arc AI&T team, coordinating closely with the VP of Production and the centralized manufacturing organization to leverage machining, harnessing, electronics assembly, thermal protection systems (TPS) application, and quality inspection resources.

• Lead daily operations, scheduling, and tasking for the Arc Vehicle Assembly Integration & Test (AI&T) activities, including managing a small team of Manufacturing Engineers, Test Engineers, and Technicians.
• Own the planning, scheduling, and execution of the Arc qualification and acceptance test campaigns, including vibration, shock, acoustic, thermal, and thermal vacuum (TVAC) testing.
• Develop and approve detailed vehicle‑level integration procedures, test plans, and manufacturing work instructions.
• Coordinate directly with the Production and Manufacturing Engineering to schedule and execute structural assembly, avionics harnessing, and TPS application.
• Manage vehicle‑level physical, electrical, and fluid interfaces, ensuring alignment across Avionics, Propulsion, Reentry, and Accurate Landing subsystems.
• Drive rapid troubleshooting, root‑cause analysis, and disposition of non‑conformances on the integration floor.
• Manage vehicle mass properties, instrumentation setups, and telemetry checkout prior to shipment and flight.

• Bachelor’s degree in Aerospace Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Industrial Engineering, or equivalent technical experience.
• Typically 8+ years of hands‑on experience in complex vehicle assembly, hardware integration, and environmental testing.
• Demonstrated experience leading engineering teams or complex hardware integration projects under constraints.
• Direct experience writing and executing vehicle‑level qualification test procedures.
• Familiarity with aerospace regulatory and quality frameworks.
• Demonstrated excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Proven ability to work effectively in a fast‑paced environment.
• This position is on‑site at Inversion HQ in Playa Vista, CA.

• Experience with spacecraft, launch vehicle, or payload Assembly, Integration, and Test (AI&T).
• Familiarity with cleanroom operations, high‑pressure gas systems, and pyrotechnic actuation.
• Familiarity with Thermal Protection System (TPS) manufacturing processes.
• Familiarity with scaling assembly and test workflows alongside a centralized manufacturing engineering department.
• Prior experience working in startups and/or small independent teams.

Salary: $161,000 – $221,000 (annual base). Pay grades are determined by role, level, location, and alignment…