TPS Materials Engineer

Advanced Reentry Technologies

**Who We Are:
**

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.

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.

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.

Position Overview:

Inversion's reentry vehicles depend on thermal protection materials that perform like the state of the art but cost far less. As the Principal Materials Scientist, you will lead the development of a family of high-performance, low-cost ablative TPS materials — owning them from formulation through automated production at scale. In this role, you will: 

• Develop new ablative TPS material formulations optimized for performance and cost 
• Characterize material response across harsh thermal environments 
• Prototype material fabrication at small scale and mature it toward flight quality 
• Automate fabrication at large scale, drawing on composite manufacturing methods such as automated tape winding, mandrel tooling design, and elevated-temperature curing 
• Plan and execute material characterization campaigns spanning thermal response testing and mechanical property testing across a wide temperature range 
• Work with outside vendors, test facilities, and suppliers to bring new materials, capabilities, and processes in-house at Inversion 
• Mentor senior and early-career engineers across the organization   

Required Qualifications: 

• Bachelor's degree in Materials Science, Materials Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or equivalent experience in a relevant field 
• Typically, 12+ years of professional experience developing, formulating, or producing materials for extreme temperature environments