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Senior Software Engineer (Autonomous Systems)

Playa Vista, California, United States

Turning Space into a Transportation Layer for Earth

Who We Are:

Eras of humanity can often be defined by a dominant transportation mode - horse drawn chariots, ocean going boats, or aircraft. These were spurred by a small group of people rigorously focused on building technology to achieve faster access to more of the world.  We seek to usher in a new era of humanity defined by universal access to the whole globe free of borders and the presence of 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. 

About the Role

We're building a hypersonic reentry spacecraft called Arc that can return from orbit and land accurately on Earth in under one hour. As an Autonomous Spacecraft Software Engineer, you'll lead the development of software that enables decision making for the Arc vehicle through all phases of flight.

What You'll Do

  • Write flight software in C++, Python, or Rust
  • Design and implement auto protection service for vehicle health management
  • Lead implementation of vehicle health monitoring and autonomous fault response system
  • Interface with spacecraft mode management and state publishing systems
  • Test your code in simulation and real flight tests
  • Work directly with hardware and flight operations teams
  • Collaborate with GNC, Missions, Processing Core, Avionics teams
  • Design command execution framework and autonomous command sequencing
  • Mentor mid-level engineer(s)

Requirements

  • 5+ years building software for autonomous systems, robotics, or aerospace
  • Strong programming skills in C++, Rust, and/or Python
  • Experience developing telemetry monitoring and filtering algorithms
  • Comfortable working independently on loosely-defined problems
  • Enthusiasm for testing software on actual hardware
  • Knowledge of control systems and state machines

Nice to Have

  • Spacecraft or autonomous aircraft experience
  • Experience with real-time systems and safety-critical software
  • Experience with hardware and software simulation environments
  • Aviation background and/or hands-on engineering projects

Why Join

  • Write code that controls spacecraft returning from orbit
  • Work in a small, fast-moving team where your impact is immediate
  • Test your software in desert flight campaigns
  • Help build the future of space transportation
  • Grow technically and as a leader in a high-ownership environment

Our office headquarters is located in Playa Vista, CA. This position requires in office presence.

The California annual base salary for this role is currently $140,000 - $165,000.  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. 

ITAR Compliance:
To conform to U.S. Government space technology export regulations, including the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) you must be a U.S. citizen, lawful permanent resident of the U.S., protected individual as defined by 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3), or eligible to obtain the required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State. Learn more about the ITAR here.  
 
Equal Employment 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.  If you are a US Job Applicant see the CCPA Privacy Policy Notice for further details.

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