--- title: 'Senior Harness Engineer at Inversion' canonical: 'https://feeny.ai/job/senior-harness-engineer-inversion-playa-vista-california-skfkm2zq0fd0' type: 'job' last_seen: '2026-09-12' --- # Senior Harness Engineer at Inversion - **Company:** Inversion - **Location:** Playa Vista California, United States - **Posted:** 2026-06-12 - **Last confirmed live:** 2026-09-12 - **Apply:** https://job-boards.greenhouse.io/inversionspace/jobs/4705255005 ## Job description Turning Space into a Transportation Layer for Earth Who 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 As a Senior Harness Engineer at Inversion, you will report directly to the Manager of Arc Vehicle Avionics. In this role, you will own the end-to-end design, 3D routing, documentation, and physical integration of all electrical wire harnesses for the Arc hypersonic reentry vehicle. You will bridge the gap between electrical schematics and physical vehicle structures, solving complex packaging, thermal protection, and electromagnetic interference (EMI) challenges. Operating with high autonomy, you will establish harness manufacturing standards, mentor junior engineers, and work directly with integration technicians to build and route flight-ready hardware. ## Key Responsibilities - Own the 3D harness routing and mechanical packaging of the entire Arc vehicle electrical distribution system using CAD. - Generate 2D harness manufacturing drawings, schematics, flat patterns, nailboard layouts, and bill of materials (BOM). - Select wire types, shielding, connectors, backshells, and over-braid materials to survive extreme aerospace environments (high vibration, vacuum, thermal, and plasma). - Conduct trade studies on shielding, grounding, and wire sizing to ensure proper power delivery, signal integrity, and EMI/EMC compliance. - Author detailed harness fabrication procedures, routing checklists, and electrical inspection plans (continuity, isolation, and dielectric testing). - Provide hands-on floor support during harness manufacturing, vehicle-level routing, and pin-out operations. - Mentor junior engineers and support technician training on aerospace-grade wire-crimping, shielding termination, and soldering techniques. Required Qualifications - Must have the ability to obtain and maintain a U.S. government Secret/Top Secret security clearance. - Bachelor’s degree in Aerospace Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or equivalent technical experience. - Typically 5+ years of hands-on experience in 3D CAD electrical harness routing and design for complex aerospace vehicles. - Proficiency in CAD software (Siemens NX or equivalent) with specialized routing modules. - Deep understanding of wire harness design principles, including component selection, wire sizing, shielding, grounding, and routing clearances. - Direct experience generating production-ready 2D harness drawings with detailed standard dimensions and notes. - Hands-on harness build experience. - Excellent verbal and written communication skills. Desired Qualifications - Familiarity with aerospace harnessing and soldering standards. - Experience designing harnesses for extreme thermal gradients, vacuum outgassing, and high-vibration rocket or reentry environments. - Familiarity with harness electrical analysis tools, schematic capture tools, and database management systems. - Prior experience in a fast-paced aerospace startup or small hardware integration team. 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](https://www.pmddtc.state.gov/?id=ddtc_kb_article_page&sys_id=24d528fddbfc930044f9ff621f961987). 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](https://oag.ca.gov/privacy/ccpa) for further details. ## About Inversion ## Company Overview - **One-liner**: Inversion builds advanced reentry vehicles to turn space into a global logistics network for Earth, enabling rapid, precise delivery of payloads anywhere on the planet. - **Entity Type**: Private (funding stage: Series unknown; raised $44M from investors including Y Combinator, plus a $71M U.S. Space Force contract) - **Headquarters**: Playa Vista, California, United States - **Founded**: 2021 - **Founders**: Justin Fiaschetti and Austin Briggs ## Core Business - **Primary industry**: Aerospace & Defense – Reentry vehicles, space logistics, hypersonic delivery - **Target customers**: U.S. Department of Defense, national security agencies, and future commercial logistics operators (B2G / B2B) - **Mission**: “To make Earth radically more accessible by turning space into a global logistics network.” ## Products & Services - **Ray**: Inversion’s first in-house developed spacecraft and reentry capsule, built to validate key subsystems for future vehicles. Developed by a team of 25 for under $1M. - **Arc**: Flagship autonomous, reusable, low-cost space-based delivery vehicle designed to deploy payloads anywhere on Earth in under an hour. Dual-use for defense and commercial applications. ## Market Standing - **Valuation / Market Cap**: Not disclosed - **Key Metric**: Total funding of $44M (led by Y Combinator and other investors) + $71M Space Force contract - **Notable Investors / Partners**: Y Combinator, Anduril Industries (partnered on space-based interceptors for Golden Dome), U.S. Space Force - **Growth Signals**: 60-person team, 55,000 sqft facility in Los Angeles, dedicated test site in Mojave Desert, successful orbital flight of Ray, partnership with Anduril for Golden Dome program ## Competitive Advantages - **Speed & cost**: Entire spacecraft developed by 25 people for under $1M – dramatically faster and cheaper than traditional aerospace. - **In-house vertical integration**: Nearly every system (propulsion, avionics, thermal protection, parachutes) developed internally. - **Dual-use focus**: Technology serves urgent defense needs while laying groundwork for commercial logistics. - **Experienced founding team**: Former SpaceX (Raptor engine) and ABL Space Systems engineers. ## Strategic Focus - **Immediate priority**: Deliver on the Space Force contract and Golden Dome partnership with Anduril for space-based interceptors. - **Long-term vision**: Build a reusable, on-demand logistics network using Low-Earth Orbit to enable global delivery in under an hour. - **Technical roadmap**: Scale reentry vehicle production, improve landing precision, and expand military and commercial applications. ## Why Work Here - **Culture**: Emphasizes “talent density” and “extreme ownership” – a small, high-impact team where every engineer owns critical hardware flying in space. - **Work environment**: Hands-on, fast iteration – rapid testing at Mojave test site, full machine shop, cleanroom integration facility, and parachute manufacturing on-site. - **Hybrid / office**: Likely on-site heavy (engineering, manufacturing, testing); HQ in Playa Vista, CA. - **Perks**: Generous parental leave, family and childcare benefits (per Built In). - **Engineering culture**: Build and test own hardware; work across GNC, avionics, propulsion, structures, and simulation. 32 open roles on Greenhouse as of mid-2026. ## Sources 1. [inversionspace.com](https://www.inversionspace.com/) 2. [inversionspace.com/company](https://www.inversionspace.com/company) 3. [inversionspace.com/careers](https://www.inversionspace.com/careers) 4. [job-boards.greenhouse.io/inversionspace](http://job-boards.greenhouse.io/inversionspace) 5. [builtin.com/company/inversion-space](https://builtin.com/company/inversion-space) ## Other roles at Inversion - [Engineering Manager, Arc Vehicle Mechanical](https://feeny.ai/job/engineering-manager-arc-vehicle-mechanical-inversion-playa-vista-california-vxdkzp21errc) — Playa Vista California, United States - [Senior RF Systems Engineer](https://feeny.ai/job/senior-rf-systems-engineer-inversion-playa-vista-california-0zq48yd93bcm) — Playa Vista California, United States - [Avionics Integration and Test Technician II](https://feeny.ai/job/avionics-integration-and-test-technician-ii-inversion-playa-vista-california-f2r8jdrna32d) — Playa Vista California, United States - [TPS Technician I](https://feeny.ai/job/tps-technician-i-inversion-playa-vista-california-vj6ncz8mzvc5) — Playa Vista California, United States - [Avionics Mechanical Engineer I](https://feeny.ai/job/avionics-mechanical-engineer-i-inversion-playa-vista-california-3m74qzx075zt) — Playa Vista California, United States - [Senior Content Producer](https://feeny.ai/job/senior-content-producer-inversion-playa-vista-california-nqxs51kfq2m3) — Playa Vista California, United States - [Senior System Administrator](https://feeny.ai/job/senior-system-administrator-inversion-playa-vista-california-wjh2av77xsz5) — Playa Vista California, United States - [Senior Manufacturing Engineer (Reentry)](https://feeny.ai/job/senior-manufacturing-engineer-reentry-inversion-playa-vista-california-t4e1n3tb7www) — Playa Vista California, United States - [Senior Propulsion Development Engineer](https://feeny.ai/job/senior-propulsion-development-engineer-inversion-playa-vista-california-dfkke9y60xte) — Playa Vista California, United States - [Senior Mechatronics Engineer](https://feeny.ai/job/senior-mechatronics-engineer-inversion-playa-vista-california-93k5aymb465v) — Playa Vista California, United States