# Principal TPS Materials Engineer at Inversion Space

- Company: Inversion Space
- What the company does: Making Space a Transportation Layer for Earth. Backed by Y Combinator.
- Company website: https://www.inversionspace.com/
- Type: Startups
- Level: Principal and up
- Location: Playa Vista, California, United States
- Work setup: On-site
- Pay: $175K to $244K base salary per year (USD)
- Posted: 2026-08-13
- Apply by: 2026-10-08
- Apply: https://job-boards.greenhouse.io/inversionspace/jobs/4723752005
- Page: https://www.1752.vc/careers/jobs/inversion-space-principal-tps-materials-engineer/

## About the role

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:

## What they're looking for

- 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

Tags: Reentry