Engineering Manager, Arc Vehicle Software

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 

As the Engineering Manager of Arc Vehicle Software at Inversion, you will report directly to the Chief Engineer of Arc. In this role, you will lead the development, integration, and deployment of the core flight software, ground software, and autonomy modules for our next-generation Arc hypersonic reentry vehicle. You will own the end-to-end software release cycle for the vehicle. 

Key Responsibilities 

• Lead daily operations, scheduling, and tasking for the Arc Software team, managing a team of flight software, ground software, and software test engineers. 
• Own the delivery, integration, and deployment of all flight software and ground control software for the Arc vehicle. 
• Coordinate directly with the centralized Software team to leverage platform-level libraries, ground control frameworks, and software engineering standards. 
• Collaborate with the Reentry and Accurate Landing teams to integrate their respective GNC algorithms into the main flight software loop. 
• Oversee the architecture and implementation of vehicle-level state machines, flight autonomy, fault protection, and system-level telemetry. 
• Manage software-in-the-loop (SIL) and hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) testing campaigns, ensuring high software quality through robust test automation. 
• Drive real-time troubleshooting, software debugging, and rapid resolution of issues identified during vehicle assembly, environmental test, and flight operations. 

Required Qualifications 

• Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or equivalent technical experience. 
• Typically 8+ years of hands-on experience in complex software development, with a focus on embedded C++ and high-reliability systems. 
• Demonstrated experience leading engineering teams, managing software release cycles, or managing complex software integration projects. 
• Strong fundamental knowledge of software architecture, embedded Linux, and multi-threaded systems. 
• Deep proficiency in systems programming languages (C / C++ / Rust) in a Linux-based environment. 
• Demonstrated excellent verbal and written communication skills with the ability to bridge hardware-to-software disciplines. 
• Proven ability to work effectively in a fast-paced environment. 
• Must have the ability to obtain and maintain a U.S. government Secret/Top Secret security clearance. 

Desired Qualifications 

• Experience with spacecraft, launch vehicle, or high-reliability autonomous systems software development. 
• Familiarity with hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) test setups, network protocols (CAN, Ethernet, Serial), and telemetry architectures. 
• Experience building and maintaining scalable DevOps, continuous integration, and automated testing (CI/CD) pipelines. 
• 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 $145,000 - $210,000.  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.