[İş Radarı](https://jobradar.live/) / [Jobs](https://jobradar.live/ilanlar) / Senior Thermal Structures Engineer Active On-site Playa Vista, California, United States Posted · 20.09.2026 Greenhouse (US) # Senior Thermal Structures Engineer Inversion Turning Space into a Transportation Layer for EarthWho We Are:  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:  A heat shield is where the harsh reentry thermal environment meets structural reality — materials want to expand, attachments must not let them fail, and parts must be manufacturable at scale. As the Senior Thermal Structures Engineer, you will own the detailed design of heat shield and hot structure hardware from concept through flight, with responsibility for both the design and analysis of a key subsystem for a maneuverable reentry vehicle.  In this role, you will:  Own the detailed mechanical design of heat shield components and assemblies, including TPS panels, hot substructure, attachments, and interfaces to the vehicle  Perform structural and thermal-structural analysis of your designs, from hand calculations through detailed finite element analysis  Design for environments where thermally induced strains are a primary driver, managing CTE mismatch, thermal gradients, and constrained expansion across joints and interfaces  Work with materials and manufacturing engineers to design components that can actually be fabricated, machined, and inspected in high-temperature composite material systems  Define and support structural and thermal-structural testing to verify your designs, from element-level tests through qualification  Develop your own part and assembly models, drawings, and GD&T, carrying designs from concept through released engineering   Required Qualifications:  Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or equivalent experience in a related field  Typically, 5+ years of experience in the mechanical or structural design of aerospace hardware  Experience performing structural analysis of your own designs, including both classical hand analysis and finite element analysis (e.g., Nastran, Abaqus, Ansys)  Experience with thermal-structural analysis, including thermally induced stress and deflection  Strong fundamentals in strength of materials, structural mechanics, and the design of fastened and bonded joints  Proficiency with 3D CAD sufficient to own detailed part and assembly design end-to-end, including drawings and GD&T  Proven ability to work effectively in a fast-paced environment, including prototyping and rapid iteration of new products  This position is on-site at Inversion HQ in Playa Vista, CA.  Must have the ability to obtain and maintain a U.S. government Secret/Top Secret security clearance.  Desired Qualifications:  Experience designing high-temperature structures where thermally induced strains are a major design driver (hypersonic airframes , turbine engine hot sections, exhaust structures)  Experience designing high-density TPS components from reinforced carbon/carbon, carbon phenolic, or ceramic matrix composites  Experience designing hot-structure attachment schemes, such as expansion or slip joints, standoffs, flexures, and compliant interfaces  Experience analyzing anisotropic and composite materials, including appropriate failure criteria  Familiarity with the manufacturing constraints of composite or ablative materials, including machining, densification shrinkage, and inspection  Experience designing or supporting thermal-structural test campaigns, including strain and deflection measurement at elevated temperature  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 $137,000-$193,000.  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. ITAR Compliance: To conform to U.S. Government space technology export regulations, including the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) you must be a U.S. citizen, lawful permanent resident of the U.S., protected individual as defined by 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3), or eligible to obtain the required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State. Learn more about the ITAR here.     Equal Employment Opportunity: Inversion provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, national origin, veteran status, or disability.     Inversion collects and processes personal data in accordance with applicable data protection laws.  If you are a US Job Applicant see the CCPA Privacy Policy Notice for further details. This job was verified from Greenhouse (US). Applications are completed on the original source. [Apply on the original listing ↗](https://jobradar.live/ilan/937e5f4a-37de-4aba-83c4-c6e571881704/git) ## Stop searching one by one for roles like this. Upload your resume or enter your target roles to see your first 3 matches for free. [Find jobs for me →](https://jobradar.live/uye/kayit) Your resume is never shared with employers; it is processed only for matching. Something wrong with this job?