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Test Engineer II (Arc Vehicle) Verified today

Inversion Space · Playa Vista, CA · Production · first seen 2026-07-16
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About Inversion Space

Inversion builds advanced reentry systems to deliver next-generation capabilities from space. The mission is to make Earth more accessible by turning Low-Earth Orbit into an on-demand logistics domain. Arc spacecraft are designed to deliver payloads anywhere on Earth in under an hour, operating through extreme reentry conditions and landing with high precision.

What You'll Do

As a Test Engineer II (Arc Vehicle), you will report directly to the Manager of Arc Vehicle Integration & Test. You will own the preparation, execution, and data analysis of vehicle-level qualification and acceptance test campaigns for the Arc hypersonic reentry vehicle. This includes environmental testing: vibration, shock, acoustic, thermal, and thermal vacuum (TVAC) testing. You will design physical test setups, configure complex data acquisition systems, and lead test execution to ensure the vehicle survives extreme launch and reentry environments. You will work with high autonomy, mentoring junior engineers and collaborating with subsystem owners to verify critical requirements.

Key Responsibilities

  • Develop, own, and execute end-to-end environmental qualification and acceptance test campaigns (vibration, shock, acoustic, thermal, and TVAC) for the Arc vehicle.
  • Author, review, and approve detailed vehicle-level test plans, test procedures, and formal test reports.
  • Design and procure test fixtures, structural interface plates, and test ground support equipment (GSE) using CAD software.
  • Configure, calibrate, and operate data acquisition (DAQ) hardware and sensor suites, including accelerometers, thermocouples, RTDs, and strain gauges.
  • Analyze post-test data, perform signal processing, and verify test results against design margins and structural requirements.
  • Lead the troubleshooting of test anomalies, instrumentation dropouts, and hardware failures, performing rigorous root-cause analysis.
  • Coordinate with external test facilities, vendors, and internal schedulers to ensure on-time test execution.

Required Qualifications

  • Bachelor's degree in Aerospace Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or equivalent technical experience.
  • Typically 2+ years of hands-on experience in aerospace environmental testing (vibration, shock, thermal vacuum, or acoustic testing) at the subsystem or vehicle level.
  • Proven experience authoring comprehensive test plans, executing qualification/acceptance testing, and post-processing test data.
  • Direct hands-on experience with environmental test equipment, including shaker tables, thermal vacuum chambers, and data acquisition hardware.
  • Strong proficiency with MATLAB, Python, or other technical computing languages for signal processing and data analysis.
  • Hands-on experience designing fixtures and mechanical interfaces using CAD software (Creo, CATIA, SolidWorks, or similar).
  • Demonstrated ability to lead troubleshooting of complex test failures and anomalies.
  • Excellent communication skills and ability to work collaboratively with engineering teams and external partners.

Preferred Qualifications

  • Experience with aerospace or defense programs, including familiarity with aerospace testing standards (MIL-STD-810, NASA-STD-7001, or equivalent).
  • Experience with hypersonic systems, reentry vehicles, or advanced thermal protection systems (TPS).
  • Familiarity with vehicle integration, structural analysis, and design margin verification.
  • Experience with LabVIEW, VibrationVIEW, or similar test control software.