Back to jobs

Senior Mechatronics Engineer

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: 

Producing Inversion's thermal protection systems at rate means using machines to do what is traditionally done by hand. As the Senior Mechatronics Engineer, you will stand up Inversion's automated fiber placement capability and design the custom end-of-arm tooling that adapts robotic automation to our unique materials and processes. In this role, you will: 

  • Stand up an automated fiber placement capability, from requirements definition and machine specification through procurement, integration, and commissioning 
  • Design, build, and iterate custom end-of-arm tooling (EOAT) for material deposition, handling, and processing 
  • Design and integrate robotic work cells, including robot selection, cell layout, safety systems, and fixturing 
  • Develop robot programs and deposition paths, including offline programming and path planning for complex tool surfaces 
  • Integrate controls, sensing, and machine interfaces — PLC/HMI, motion control, and in-process monitoring 
  • Work closely with materials and process engineers to translate material behavior into machine parameters, and iterate the machinery as the material evolves 
  • Drive cycle time, reliability, and process capability improvements as the capability matures from first articles toward rate production 

Required Qualifications: 

  • Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Mechatronics, Robotics, or equivalent experience in a related field 
  • Typically, 5+ years of experience developing automation or robotics for manufacturing 
  • Experience designing and integrating custom end-of-arm tooling (EOAT) 
  • Experience programming and integrating industrial robots (e.g., FANUC, KUKA, ABB, Yaskawa) 
  • Experience standing up new manufacturing equipment or work cells, including specification, procurement, commissioning, and handoff to production 
  • Experience with industrial controls, including PLC/HMI development and sensor integration 
  • Proficiency with 3D CAD for the design of tooling and automation hardware 
  • Proven ability to work effectively in a fast-paced environment, including prototyping and rapid iteration of new products 
  • This position is on-site at Inversion HQ in Playa Vista, CA. 
  • Must have the ability to obtain and maintain a U.S. government Secret/Top Secret security clearance. 

Desired Qualifications: 

  • Master's degree in Mechanical Engineering, Robotics, or a related field 
  • Experience with automated fiber placement (AFP), automated tape laying (ATL), filament winding, or similar composites automation 
  • Experience with fiber processes (felting, needling, blind stitching, etc.) that reinforce through thickness strength of 2D materials. 
  • Experience with offline robot programming and simulation tools (e.g., RoboDK, Delmia, Process Simulate) 
  • Experience with machine vision, force/torque sensing, or in-process inspection 
  • Experience with motion control and servo system design and tuning 
  • Experience driving cycle time and process capability in a rate production environment 
  • Proficiency in programming languages such as Python or C++ for automation tooling and data collection 
  • Prior experience working in startups and/or small independent teams 

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 $137,000-$193,000 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.

Create a Job Alert

Interested in building your career at Inversion? Get future opportunities sent straight to your email.

Apply for this job

*

indicates a required field

Resume/CV

Accepted file types: pdf, doc, docx, txt, rtf

Cover Letter

Accepted file types: pdf, doc, docx, txt, rtf

Select...
Select...
Select...
Select...

Voluntary Self-Identification

For government reporting purposes, we ask candidates to respond to the below self-identification survey. Completion of the form is entirely voluntary. Whatever your decision, it will not be considered in the hiring process or thereafter. Any information that you do provide will be recorded and maintained in a confidential file.

As set forth in Inversion’s Equal Employment Opportunity policy, we do not discriminate on the basis of any protected group status under any applicable law.

Select...
Select...
Race & Ethnicity Definitions

If you believe you belong to any of the categories of protected veterans listed below, please indicate by making the appropriate selection. As a government contractor subject to the Vietnam Era Veterans Readjustment Assistance Act (VEVRAA), we request this information in order to measure the effectiveness of the outreach and positive recruitment efforts we undertake pursuant to VEVRAA. Classification of protected categories is as follows:

A "disabled veteran" is one of the following: a veteran of the U.S. military, ground, naval or air service who is entitled to compensation (or who but for the receipt of military retired pay would be entitled to compensation) under laws administered by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs; or a person who was discharged or released from active duty because of a service-connected disability.

A "recently separated veteran" means any veteran during the three-year period beginning on the date of such veteran's discharge or release from active duty in the U.S. military, ground, naval, or air service.

An "active duty wartime or campaign badge veteran" means a veteran who served on active duty in the U.S. military, ground, naval or air service during a war, or in a campaign or expedition for which a campaign badge has been authorized under the laws administered by the Department of Defense.

An "Armed forces service medal veteran" means a veteran who, while serving on active duty in the U.S. military, ground, naval or air service, participated in a United States military operation for which an Armed Forces service medal was awarded pursuant to Executive Order 12985.

Select...