Staff GNC Engineer (Guidance)

<div class="content-intro"><p><strong>Advanced Reentry Technologies</strong></p> <p><strong>Who We Are:<br></strong></p> <p>Inversion is an aerospace and defense company pioneering advanced reentry technology to enable next-generation capabilities from space. By combining high-performance materials, precision aerodynamics, and mission-driven autonomy, Inversion is transforming reentry into an operational capability for an entirely new class of missions.</p> <p>The company’s highly maneuverable reentry spacecraft, Arc, is designed for rapid global cargo delivery, hypersonic testing, and other national security missions that require precise, controlled flight through the atmosphere. Arc creates an entirely new transportation domain, unlocking unprecedented speed and global reach.</p> <p>Headquartered in Los Angeles, Inversion designs, manufactures, and integrates its spacecraft under one roof, enabling the company to move rapidly from concept to flight. The company is backed by leading investors including Y Combinator, Spark Capital, and Lockheed Martin Ventures, with customers across the U.S. government and commercial space industry.</p></div><p><strong><span class="TextRun SCXW33498302 BCX8" lang="EN-US" data-contrast="none"><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW33498302 BCX8">Position Overview:</span></span></strong></p> <p><span data-contrast="auto">Inversion's lifting-body reentry platform will be a highly maneuverable, highly accurate vehicle that is an industry first and its guidance system is what makes that maneuverability count. As the Staff GNC Engineer (Guidance), you will be responsible for developing the guidance architecture for a high-performance maneuvering reentry vehicle, delivering high performance in the face of real-time mission updates.</span></p> <p><strong><span data-contrast="auto">Key Responsibilities:</span></strong></p> <ul> <li><span data-contrast="auto">Own the guidance architecture for a maneuvering reentry vehicle from concept through flight.</span></li> <li><span data-contrast="auto">Develop guidance algorithms that replan trajectories onboard in response to real-time mission updates.</span></li> <li><span data-contrast="auto">Build and exercise 3-DOF and 6-DOF flight simulations to develop, stress, and validate guidance performance.</span></li> <li><span data-contrast="auto">Develop plant models of vehicle and subsystem dynamics to support algorithm design and simulation fidelity.</span></li> <li><span data-contrast="auto">Work with the broader GNC, simulation, and mission design teams to close vehicle-level performance.</span></li> <li><span data-contrast="auto">Mentor engineers across the GNC team</span></li> </ul> <p><strong><span data-contrast="auto">Required Qualifications:</span></strong></p> <ul> <li><span data-contrast="auto">Bachelor's degree in Aerospace Engineering, a related field, or equivalent experience.</span></li> <li><span data-contrast="auto">Typically, 9+ years of applicable experience developing and testing guidance or GNC algorithms and systems.</span></li> <li><span data-contrast="auto">Experience with modern convex optimization methods for guidance (e.g., successive convexification / sequential convex programming, lossless convexification).</span></li> <li><span data-contrast="auto">Experience developing and exercising 3-DOF and 6-DOF flight simulations.</span></li> <li><span data-contrast="auto">Strong fundamentals in flight mechanics, optimal control, and trajectory optimization.</span></li> <li><span data-contrast="auto">Proficiency in programming languages such as MATLAB, Python, or C++ for simulation and analysis.</span></li> <li><span data-contrast="auto">Demonstrated excellent verbal and written communication skills.</span></li> <li><span data-contrast="auto">Capable of working in a dynamic, fast-paced startup environment.</span></li> <li><strong><span data-contrast="auto">Must have the ability to obtain and maintain a U.S. government Secret/Top Secret security clearance.</span></strong></li> </ul> <p><strong><span data-contrast="auto">Desired Qualifications:</span></strong><span data-ccp-props="{}"> </span></p> <ul> <li><span data-contrast="auto">Master's or PhD in Aerospace Engineering, a related field, or equivalent experience.</span></li> <li><span data-contrast="auto">Experience with real-time onboard optimization solvers (e.g., ECOS, CVXGEN, OSQP, or custom solvers) in compute-restricted environments.</span></li> <li><span data-contrast="auto">Experience with atmospheric entry guidance methods (e.g., numerical predictor-corrector approaches).</span></li> <li><span data-contrast="auto">Experience building plant models of aerospace systems (aerodynamics, propulsion, actuators, sensors).</span></li> <li><span data-contrast="auto">Experience with state estimation using limited data (Kalman filtering, sensor fusion).</span></li> <li><span data-contrast="auto">Experience building guidance code deployed to real flight hardware.</span></li> <li><span data-contrast="auto">Hardware-in-the-Loop (HITL) test experience.</span></li> <li><span data-contrast="auto">Prior experi