Senior Software Engineer (Autonomous Systems)

Inversion Space
Playa Vista, California, United States$140k – $165kPosted 21 February 2026

Job Description

<div class="content-intro"><p><strong>Turning Space into a Transportation Layer for Earth</strong></p></div><h3>Who We Are:</h3> <p><span data-contrast="none"><span data-ccp-parastyle="Normal (Web)"><span class="ui-provider a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z ab ac ae af ag ah ai aj ak">Eras of humanity can often be defined by a dominant transportation mode - horse drawn chariots, ocean going boats, or aircraft. These were spurred by a small group of people rigorously focused on building technology to achieve faster access to more of the world. We seek to usher in a new era of humanity defined by universal access to the whole globe free of borders and the presence of a routine way from space to Earth. To do this, we are building highly maneuverable re-entry vehicles that can loiter in orbit before precision landing back on Earth. </span></span></span></p> <p></p> <p><strong>About the Role</strong></p> <p>We're building a hypersonic reentry spacecraft called Arc that can return from orbit and land accurately on Earth in under one hour. As an Autonomous Spacecraft Software Engineer, you'll lead the development of software that enables decision making for the Arc vehicle through all phases of flight.</p> <p><strong>What You'll Do</strong></p> <ul> <li>Write flight software in C++, Python, or Rust</li> <li>Design and implement auto protection service for vehicle health management</li> <li>Lead implementation of vehicle health monitoring and autonomous fault response system</li> <li>Interface with spacecraft mode management and state publishing systems</li> <li>Test your code in simulation and real flight tests</li> <li>Work directly with hardware and flight operations teams</li> <li>Collaborate with GNC, Missions, Processing Core, Avionics teams</li> <li>Design command execution framework and autonomous command sequencing</li> <li>Mentor mid-level engineer(s)</li> </ul> <p><strong>Requirements</strong></p> <ul> <li>5+ years building software for autonomous systems, robotics, or aerospace</li> <li>Strong programming skills in C++, Rust, and/or Python</li> <li>Experience developing telemetry monitoring and filtering algorithms</li> <li>Comfortable working independently on loosely-defined problems</li> <li>Enthusiasm for testing software on actual hardware</li> <li>Knowledge of control systems and state machines</li> </ul> <p><strong>Nice to Have</strong></p> <ul> <li>Spacecraft or autonomous aircraft experience</li> <li>Experience with real-time systems and safety-critical software</li> <li>Experience with hardware and software simulation environments</li> <li>Aviation background and/or hands-on engineering projects</li> </ul> <p><strong>Why Join</strong></p> <ul> <li>Write code that controls spacecraft returning from orbit</li> <li>Work in a small, fast-moving team where your impact is immediate</li> <li>Test your software in desert flight campaigns</li> <li>Help build the future of space transportation</li> <li>Grow technically and as a leader in a high-ownership environment</li> </ul> <p></p> <p><strong>Our office headquarters is located in Playa Vista, CA. This position requires in office presence.</strong></p> <p><sub><em>The California annual base salary for this role is currently $140,000 - $165,000. 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. </em></sub></p><div class="content-conclusion"><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: 8pt;"><strong>ITAR Compliance:</strong></span></div> <div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: 8pt;">To conform to U.S. Government space technology export regulations, including the International Traffic in Arms ... (truncated, view full listing at source)