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Tooling Engineer II

Playa Vista, California, United States

Turning Space into a Transportation Layer for Earth

Who We Are:  

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.

What You’ll Do: 
At Inversion, development speed and scalable systems depend on robust, practical tooling that makes assembly and integration repeatable. As a Tooling Engineer II, you will lead the design and fabrication of tooling used to assemble, handle, inspect, and integrate flight hardware. You will work closely with technicians, manufacturing, and design engineers to create tooling that is simple, durable, and effective, while also supporting specialized TPS tooling needs. In this role, you will: 

  • Lead the design of assembly, handling, transport, and check tooling for flight hardware and development articles. 
  • Own tooling from initial concept through fabrication, bring-up, and handoff to the production or integration floor. 
  • Support TPS tooling design for development, installation, and integration activities. 
  • Generate detailed CAD, drawings, and fabrication packages for internal and external build. 
  • Work directly with technicians and manufacturing teams to improve ergonomics, repeatability, and assembly flow. 
  • Coordinate with outside vendors and internal machine shop resources to fabricate and modify tooling quickly. 
  • Improve tooling designs through hands-on iteration during hardware build and integration. 

Required Qualifications: 

  • Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, or equivalent experience. 
  • 2+ years of applicable experience designing and fabricating tooling, fixtures, or support equipment. 
  • Experience using Siemens NX or similar CAD software. 
  • Strong GD&T, drawing creation, and tolerance fundamentals. 
  • Familiarity with machining, welding, fabrication, and common shop processes. 
  • Hands-on experience supporting assembly, integration, or prototype hardware builds. 
  • Demonstrated excellent verbal and written communication skills. 
  • Capable of working in a dynamic, fast-paced startup environment. 

Desired Qualifications: 

  • Experience designing aerospace assembly or integration tooling. 
  • Experience with TPS tooling, molds, trim fixtures, bond fixtures, or other heatshield-related support equipment. 
  • Experience working directly with technicians and production teams to refine tooling in use. 
  • Familiarity with metrology, alignment tooling, or inspection fixtures. 
  • Experience with rapid prototyping methods and quick-turn vendor fabrication. 

The California annual base wage for this role is currently $106,000 - $150,000.  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.  

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

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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