Staff Mission Manager

About the role

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.

Responsibilities

• Lead technical and programmatic execution from contract award through integration, integrated test , launch, operations, and re-entry, ensuring all contract requirements are met.
• Serve as the primary technical authority for the mission, deeply understanding the vehicle's design, constraints, and subsystem dependencies (e.g., GNC, thermal protection systems, propulsion , avionics ).
• Support proposal efforts to align new missions with long-term strategic vision, ensuring complex contract requirements are executable.
• Interface with internal engineering, production, and mission assurance teams to drive technical closure, anomaly resolution, and on-time mission success.
• Collaborate with engineering to evaluate vehicle readiness, performing risk and trade studies on how changes impact system requirements, margin, and launch schedules.
• Work with the customer to mitigate and resolve technical and programmatic issues that arise with a success -oriented approach and resolution.
• Manage multiple programs and competing technical priorities concurrently.
• Required Qualifications:
• Minimum of a bachelor's degree in Aerospace Engineering , Mechanical Engineering, or a related technical discipline.
• Typically 9 + years of direct engineering experience within launch vehicles, reentry systems, or hypersonic flight regimes, with a proven track record of leading complex aerospace projects or systems engineering blocks.
• T echnical understanding of aerodynamics, aerothermal environments, high-temperature structures, or precision recovery operations.
• Experience acting as the primary technical and programmatic interface of a program to an external customer or government stakeholder.
• Proven ability to bridge the gap between business objectives and hardware engineering constraints in a fast-paced environment.
• Exceptional verbal and written communication skills, with a demonstrated ability to author technical interface control documents (ICDs) and complex verification plans.

Requirements

• Master's degree in an engineering discipline.
• Direct experience managing complex technical acquisitions or mission integration milestones with government agencies (e.g., DoD, NASA, FAA-AST).
• 12+ years of applicable aerospace experience spanning both hands-on hardware development and technical leadership.
• Strong interpersonal skills, with a proven ability to challenge technical assumptions constructively and align multi-disciplinary engineering teams toward mission-critical milestones.
• Our office headquarters is located in Playa Vista, CA. This position requires in office presence.
• ITAR Compliance:

Benefits

Additional Information

Turning Space into a Transportation Layer for Earth

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