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Inversion

Principal TPS Materials Engineer

Inversion · Playa Vista, California, United States

Posted about a month ago · $175,000-$244,000

or apply directly on Inversion's site. We never take the application ourselves.

Is this posting real?

This role has been open
42 days
Inversion's roles stay open a median of 53 days
Reposted
No
Salary listed
Yes
89% of Inversion's roles list one
Ghost-job risk at Inversion
high
59 stale, 0 reposted of 76 open
Hiring momentum
86 roles opened in the last 90 days
↑ up vs. the prior 90 days
Last confirmed on the employer's board
2026-09-25

Measured from postings appearing on and disappearing from Inversion's own greenhouse board since 2026-08-03. Full hiring picture for Inversion.

About this role

As the Principal TPS Materials Engineer at Inversion, you will lead the development of high-performance, low-cost ablative thermal protection system (TPS) materials for reentry vehicles. Your responsibilities include formulating new materials, characterizing their performance under extreme conditions, prototyping fabrication processes, and automating production methods. Additionally, you will mentor engineers and collaborate with external vendors to enhance material capabilities.

Our read on this posting3.2out of 5
benefits
1/5
freshness
1/5
career value
4/5
role clarity
5/5
pay transparency
5/5

Scored from the posting itself — how clearly the role is described, how much it says about pay and benefits, and how recently it was listed. Not a judgement of Inversion as an employer.

What you need

  • 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
  • Experience with at least one of: carbon phenolic ablators, reinforced carbon/carbon, or refractory ceramic matrix composites
  • Experience with material characterization testing, including both thermal response testing and material strength testing across a wide temperature range
  • Experience prototyping and scaling material fabrication processes
  • Proven ability to work effectively in a fast-paced environment, including prototyping and rapid iteration of new products

Nice to have

  • PhD in Materials Science or a related field
  • Hands-on background with woven, felted, or needled high-temperature fiber preforms and material architectures
  • Experience organizing and executing arc jet material response test campaigns
  • Experience with large-scale composite manufacturing automation (automated tape laying/winding, filament winding, mandrel tooling, autoclave or oven cure development)
  • Experience with ablation and thermal response modeling tools (e.g., FIAT, CHAR, PATO)

Worth weighing

  • Position requires in-office presence in Playa Vista, CA.
  • Salary range is specified but may vary based on individual factors.
  • Role involves working in a fast-paced environment, which may require adaptability to rapid changes.

Summarised from Inversion's posting. Read the full original.

Listed by Inversion on their greenhouse job board, last confirmed open on 2026-09-25. PitchMeAI is not the employer.

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