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About the role
<p style="text-align: center;"><span data-ccp-props="{"335559685":2160,"335559731":720}"> </span><strong><span data-contrast="auto">Sr. Paraglider & Parachute Engineer</span></strong><span data-ccp-props="{"335559685":2160,"335559731":720}"> </span></p>
<p><strong><span data-contrast="auto">Location:</span></strong><span data-contrast="auto"> Playa Vista, California (in-person, five days per week)</span><span data-ccp-props="{}"> </span></p>
<p>Launch has changed the economics of space. Now it is time to return. </p>
<p>Outpost is building the missing infrastructure between orbit and Earth: reusable vehicles that can bring payloads back from space and deliver them to a precise location within hours. We call it exologistics, space-to-Earth logistics at planetary scale. This is not a paper concept or a distant roadmap. Our system is in active development, with core technologies advancing toward flight readiness. </p>
<p>The need is already here and the market has responded. We have validated demand through multiple defense and civil agreements, and a growing pipeline across government and commercial customers. </p>
<p>Outpost is building the logistics layer that makes space economically useful in a new way: the ability to move material from orbit to Earth quickly, reliably, and affordably. Over time, that supports point-to-point logistics, 10 tons of cargo, anywhere on Earth in an hour. It also creates the foundation for a reusable reentry network and enables new categories of space activity, including in-space manufacturing, supporting AI data centers, advanced manufacturing and novel materials. </p>
<p>We have a strong foundation, clear demand, and a technical path in front of us. Now the company is scaling rapidly. We are expanding the team, growing our operational footprint, and building the systems needed to execute at the next level. This is a chance to join a company with real traction, working on a problem that matters, at the point where execution and scale begin to define the outcome.</p>
<p><strong><span data-contrast="auto">The Role</span></strong><span data-ccp-props="{}"> </span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">The </span><span data-contrast="auto">Sr. Paraglider & Parachute Engineer</span><span data-contrast="auto"> will own the final, critical phase of the Outpost mission: the landing. While our deployable heat shield handles the hypersonic deceleration, it is the guided paraglider system that enables us to land payloads with "pinpoint" accuracy rather than just splashing down in the ocean or crashing in the desert.</span> <span data-contrast="auto">You will lead the design, development, and testing of high-performance paraglider & parachute systems. You will work at the intersection of soft-goods engineering, aerodynamics, and GNC, ensuring that our recovery system can deploy reliably at altitude and navigate to a precise landing zone.</span><span data-ccp-props="{}"> </span></p>
<p><strong><span data-contrast="auto">Responsibilities</span></strong><span data-ccp-props="{}"> </span></p>
<ul>
<li data-leveltext="" data-font="Symbol" data-listid="1" data-list-defn-props="{"335552541":1,"335559685":720,"335559991":360,"469769226":"Symbol","469769242":[8226],"469777803":"left","469777804":"","469777815":"hybridMultilevel"}" data-aria-posinset="1" data-aria-level="1"><span data-contrast="auto">Recovery System Architect:</span><span data-contrast="auto"> Lead the design and development of the parachute & paraglider recovery system, including canopy sizing, reefing strategies, and riser geometry.</span></li>
<li data-leveltext="" data-font="Symbol" data-listid="1" data-list-defn-props="{"335552541":1,"335559685":720,"335559991":360,"469769226":"Symbol","469769242":[8226],"469777803":"left","469777804":"","469777815":"hybridMultilevel"}" data-aria-posinset="1" data-aria-level="1"><span data-contrast="auto">Textile & Manufacturing</span><strong><span data-contrast="auto">:</span></strong><span data-contrast="auto"> Develop fabrication processes for complex soft goods. You will own material selection (ripstop nylon, Kevlar, Dyneema), patterning, and integration of hardware (steering lines, toggles, releases).</span></li>
<li data-leveltext="" data-font="Symbol" data-listid="1" data-list-defn-props="{"335552541":1,"335559685":720,"335559991":360,"469769226":"Symbol","469769242":[8226],"469777803":"left","469777804":"","469777815":"hybridMultilevel"}" data-aria-posinset="1" data-aria-level="1"><span data-contrast="auto">Deployment Sequence:</span><span data-contrast="auto"> Design the deployment sequence for transitioning from the heatshield configuration, to drogue parachute flight, and on to stable paraglider flight, ensuring no entanglement during the critical handover.</span></li>
<li data-leveltext="" data-font="Symbol" data-listid="1" data-list-defn-props="{"335552541":1,"335559685":720,"335559991":360,"469769226":"Symbol","469769242":[8226],"469777803":"left","469777804":"","469777815":"hybridMultilevel"}" data-aria-posinset="1" data-aria-level="1"><span data-contrast="auto">Flight Test Lead:</span><span data-contrast="auto"> Plan and execute flight tests (dropped from crane, aircraft, and balloon platforms) to validate opening characteristics and flight performance.</span></li>
<li data-leveltext="" data-font="Symbol" data-listid="1" data-list-defn-props="{"335552541":1,"335559685":720,"335559991":360,"469769226":"Symbol","469769242":[8226],"469777803":"left","469777804":"","469777815":"hybridMultilevel"}" data-aria-posinset="1" data-aria-level="1"><span data-contrast="auto">GNC Integration:</span><span data-contrast="auto"> Collaborate closely with the Avionics and GNC teams to characterize the aerodynamic model of the paraglider, ensuring the autopilot can effectively steer the vehicle to the landing site.</span></li>
<li data-leveltext="" data-font="Symbol" data-listid="1" data-list-defn-props="{"335552541":1,"335559685":720,"335559991":360,"469769226":"Symbol","469769242":[8226],"469777803":"left","469777804":"","469777815":"hybridMultilevel"}" data-aria-posinset="1" data-aria-level="1"><span data-contrast="auto">Hands-on Fabrication</span><span data-contrast="auto">:</span><span data-contrast="auto"> Be willing to "cut cloth" and work with riggers and sewing technicians to prototype designs rapidly.</span></li>
<li data-leveltext="" data-font="Symbol" data-listid="1" data-list-defn-props="{"335552541":1,"335559685":720,"335559991":360,"469769226":"Symbol","469769242":[8226],"469777803":"left","469777804":"","469777815":"hybridMultilevel"}" data-aria-posinset="1" data-aria-level="1"><span data-contrast="auto">Reliability:</span><span data-contrast="auto"> Own the reliability analysis for the recovery system, ensuring we meet the stringent safety requirements for returning critical payloads</span><span data-ccp-props="{}"> </span></li>
</ul>
<p><strong><span data-contrast="auto">Qualifications</span></strong><span data-ccp-props="{}"> </span></p>
<ul>
<li data-leveltext="" data-font="Symbol" data-listid="2" data-list-defn-props="{"335552541":1,"335559685":720,"335559991":360,"469769226":"Symbol","469769242":[8226],"469777803":"left","469777804":"","469777815":"hybridMultilevel"}" data-aria-posinset="1" data-aria-level="1"><span data-contrast="auto">Bachelor's Degree</span><span data-contrast="auto"> in Aerospace Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or a related field.</span></li>
<li data-leveltext="" data-font="Symbol" data-listid="2" data-list-defn-props="{"335552541":1,"335559685":720,"335559991":360,"469769226":"Symbol","469769242":[8226],"469777803":"left","469777804":"","469777815":"hybridMultilevel"}" data-aria-posinset="1" data-aria-level="1"><span data-contrast="auto">10 years of experience</span><span data-contrast="auto"> minimum (15+ years preferred) in the design and manufacturing of paragliders, parachutes, or parafoils</span></li>
<li data-leveltext="" data-font="Symbol" data-listid="2" data-list-defn-props="{"335552541":1,"335559685":720,"335559991":360,"469769226":"Symbol","469769242":[8226],"469777803":"left","469777804":"","469777815":"hybridMultilevel"}" data-aria-posinset="1" data-aria-level="1"><span data-contrast="auto">Deep knowledge of soft-goods:</span><span data-contrast="auto"> Expertise in textile behaviors, patterning software (e.g., SpaceCAD, Lectra, specialized CAD modules), and construction techniques for flight-critical fabrics.</span></li>
<li data-leveltext="" data-font="Symbol" data-listid="2" data-list-defn-props="{"335552541":1,"335559685":720,"335559991":360,"469769226":"Symbol","469769242":[8226],"469777803":"left","469777804":"","469777815":"hybridMultilevel"}" data-aria-posinset="1" data-aria-level="1"><span data-contrast="auto">Flight Test Heritage:</span><span data-contrast="auto"> Experience planning and conducting flight tests, including instrumentation, ground support, and data analysis.</span></li>
<li data-leveltext="" data-font="Symbol" data-listid="2" data-list-defn-props="{"335552541":1,"335559685":720,"335559991":360,"469769226":"Symbol","469769242":[8226],"469777803":"left","469777804":"","469777815":"hybridMultilevel"}" data-aria-posinset="1" data-aria-level="1"><span data-contrast="auto">Mechanism Experience:</span><span data-contrast="auto"> Familiarity with reefing line cutters, pyrotechnic releases, and multi-stage deployment mechanisms.</span></li>
<li data-leveltext="" data-font="Symbol" data-listid="2" data-list-defn-props="{"335552541":1,"335559685":720,"335559991":360,"469769226":"Symbol","469769242":[8226],"469777803":"left","469777804":"","469777815":"hybridMultilevel"}" data-aria-posinset="1" data-aria-level="1"><span data-contrast="auto">Aerodynamics:</span><span data-contrast="auto"> Strong understanding of low-speed aerodynamics, glide ratios, flare characteristics, and dynamic stability of flexible wings.</span></li>
<li data-leveltext="" data-font="Symbol" data-listid="2" data-list-defn-props="{"335552541":1,"335559685":720,"335559991":360,"469769226":"Symbol","469769242":[8226],"469777803":"left","469777804":"","469777815":"hybridMultilevel"}" data-aria-posinset="1" data-aria-level="1"><span data-contrast="auto">Team Player:</span><span data-contrast="auto"> Ability to communicate complex aerodynamic behaviors to software engineers and structural engineers to ensure the whole vehicle works as a system.</span><span data-ccp-props="{}"> </span></li>
</ul>
<p><strong><span data-contrast="auto">Preferred Experience</span></strong><span data-ccp-props="{}"> </span></p>
<ul>
<li data-leveltext="" data-font="Symbol" data-listid="3" data-list-defn-props="{"335552541":1,"335559685":720,"335559991":360,"469769226":"Symbol","469769242":[8226],"469777803":"left","469777804":"","469777815":"hybridMultilevel"}" data-aria-posinset="1" data-aria-level="1"><span data-contrast="auto">Active U.S. Government Security Clearance</span><strong><span data-contrast="auto"> </span></strong><span data-contrast="none">(Not required, but beneficial)</span></li>
<li data-leveltext="" data-font="Symbol" data-listid="3" data-list-defn-props="{"335552541":1,"335559685":720,"335559991":360,"469769226":"Symbol","469769242":[8226],"469777803":"left","469777804":"","469777815":"hybridMultilevel"}" data-aria-posinset="1" data-aria-level="1">Experience with <span data-contrast="auto">precision guided aerial delivery systems (JPADS)</span><span data-contrast="auto"> or similar autonomous cargo delivery platforms.</span></li>
<li data-leveltext="" data-font="Symbol" data-listid="3" data-list-defn-props="{"335552541":1,"335559685":720,"335559991":360,"469769226":"Symbol","469769242":[8226],"469777803":"left","469777804":"","469777815":"hybridMultilevel"}" data-aria-posinset="1" data-aria-level="1">Experience with FAA coordination for flight testing in controlled and uncontrolled airspace.</li>
<li data-leveltext="" data-font="Symbol" data-listid="3" data-list-defn-props="{"335552541":1,"335559685":720,"335559991":360,"469769226":"Symbol","469769242":[8226],"469777803":"left","469777804":"","469777815":"hybridMultilevel"}" data-aria-posinset="1" data-aria-level="1">US military veterans, especially those with prior service as paratrooper or working closely with cargo aircraft</li>
<li data-leveltext="" data-font="Symbol" data-listid="3" data-list-defn-props="{"335552541":1,"335559685":720,"335559991":360,"469769226":"Symbol","469769242":[8226],"469777803":"left","469777804":"","469777815":"hybridMultilevel"}" data-aria-posinset="1" data-aria-level="1">Background in skydiving, paragliding, or rigging (FAA Master Rigger certification is a plus).</li>
<li data-leveltext="" data-font="Symbol" data-listid="3" data-list-defn-props="{"335552541":1,"335559685":720,"335559991":360,"469769226":"Symbol","469769242":[8226],"469777803":"left","469777804":"","469777815":"hybridMultilevel"}" data-aria-posinset="1" data-aria-level="1">Experience simulating fluid structure interaction & deformed shape analysis (LS-DYNA or similar).<span data-ccp-props="{}"> </span></li>
</ul>
<p><strong><span data-contrast="auto">Compensation & Benefits</span></strong></p>
<ul>
<li data-leveltext="" data-font="Symbol" data-listid="17" data-list-defn-props="{"335552541":1,"335559683":0,"335559684":-2,"335559685":720,"335559991":360,"469769226":"Symbol","469769242":[8226],"469777803":"left","469777804":"","469777815":"hybridMultilevel"}" data-aria-posinset="1" data-aria-level="1"><span data-contrast="auto"><strong>Competitive compensation:</strong> $160,000 - $210,000; (commensurate with experience).</span></li>
<li data-leveltext="" data-font="Symbol" data-listid="17" data-list-defn-props="{"335552541":1,"335559683":0,"335559684":-2,"335559685":720,"335559991":360,"469769226":"Symbol","469769242":[8226],"469777803":"left","469777804":"","469777815":"hybridMultilevel"}" data-aria-posinset="1" data-aria-level="1"><span data-contrast="auto"><strong>Additional Compensation: </strong> Annual performance-based bonuses that reward your impact.</span></li>
<li data-leveltext="" data-font="Symbol" data-listid="17" data-list-defn-props="{"335552541":1,"335559683":0,"335559684":-2,"335559685":720,"335559991":360,"469769226":"Symbol","469769242":[8226],"469777803":"left","469777804":"","469777815":"hybridMultilevel"}" data-aria-posinset="1" data-aria-level="1"><span data-contrast="auto"><strong>Shared upside:</strong> Meaningful equity in Outpost so you share directly in the value you help create.</span></li>
<li data-leveltext="" data-font="Symbol" data-listid="17" data-list-defn-props="{"335552541":1,"335559683":0,"335559684":-2,"335559685":720,"335559991":360,"469769226":"Symbol","469769242":[8226],"469777803":"left","469777804":"","469777815":"hybridMultilevel"}" data-aria-posinset="1" data-aria-level="1"><span data-contrast="auto"><strong>Comprehensive healthcare:</strong> Medical, dental, and vision coverage to keep you and your loved ones covered. We cover the base tier of medical insurance and all premiums of vision and dental. <br></span></li>
<li data-leveltext="" data-font="Symbol" data-listid="17" data-list-defn-props="{"335552541":1,"335559683":0,"335559684":-2,"335559685":720,"335559991":360,"469769226":"Symbol","469769242":[8226],"469777803":"left","469777804":"","469777815":"hybridMultilevel"}" data-aria-posinset="1" data-aria-level="1"><span data-contrast="auto"><strong>Protection when it matters:</strong> Company-provided short- and long-term disability coverage for peace of mind, plus life insurance for even more security.</span></li>
<li data-leveltext="" data-font="Symbol" data-listid="17" data-list-defn-props="{"335552541":1,"335559683":0,"335559684":-2,"335559685":720,"335559991":360,"469769226":"Symbol","469769242":[8226],"469777803":"left","469777804":"","469777815":"hybridMultilevel"}" data-aria-posinset="1" data-aria-level="1"><span data-contrast="auto"><strong>PTO</strong>: Recharge on your own terms with paid time off, plus 9 days of paid holidays.</span></li>
<li data-leveltext="" data-font="Symbol" data-listid="17" data-list-defn-props="{"335552541":1,"335559683":0,"335559684":-2,"335559685":720,"335559991":360,"469769226":"Symbol","469769242":[8226],"469777803":"left","469777804":"","469777815":"hybridMultilevel"}" data-aria-posinset="1" data-aria-level="1"><span data-contrast="auto"><strong>Invest in your future:</strong> 401(k) with company match to help you build long-term wealth.</span></li>
<li data-leveltext="" data-font="Symbol" data-listid="17" data-list-defn-props="{"335552541":1,"335559683":0,"335559684":-2,"335559685":720,"335559991":360,"469769226":"Symbol","469769242":[8226],"469777803":"left","469777804":"","469777815":"hybridMultilevel"}" data-aria-posinset="1" data-aria-level="1"><span data-contrast="auto"><strong>Fueled for the mission:</strong> Daily DoorDash lunch stipend, plus unlimited snacks, coffee, and tea to keep you energized.</span></li>
<li data-leveltext="" data-font="Symbol" data-listid="17" data-list-defn-props="{"335552541":1,"335559683":0,"335559684":-2,"335559685":720,"335559991":360,"469769226":"Symbol","469769242":[8226],"469777803":"left","469777804":"","469777815":"hybridMultilevel"}" data-aria-posinset="1" data-aria-level="1"><span data-contrast="auto"><strong>Mission that matters: </strong>Work shoulder-to-shoulder with leaders from aerospace, new space, and deep-tech industries building the future of orbital infrastructure.</span></li>
<li data-leveltext="" data-font="Symbol" data-listid="17" data-list-defn-props="{"335552541":1,"335559683":0,"335559684":-2,"335559685":720,"335559991":360,"469769226":"Symbol","469769242":[8226],"469777803":"left","469777804":"","469777815":"hybridMultilevel"}" data-aria-posinset="1" data-aria-level="1"><span data-contrast="auto"><strong>Pet Friendly Office:</strong> Bring your furry friend into the office so that they can be a part of our mission too.</span></li>
<li data-leveltext="" data-font="Symbol" data-listid="17" data-list-defn-props="{"335552541":1,"335559683":0,"335559684":-2,"335559685":720,"335559991":360,"469769226":"Symbol","469769242":[8226],"469777803":"left","469777804":"","469777815":"hybridMultilevel"}" data-aria-posinset="1" data-aria-level="1"><span data-contrast="auto"><strong>Monthly Company Happy Hours and Events:</strong> Drinks at the local bar, hibachi nights, mini golfing and more! </span></li>
</ul>
<p> </p>
<p><span data-ccp-props="{}"> </span></p>
Perks & benefits
- 401k
- Vision Insurance
- Medical Insurance
- Paid Time Off
- Pension Matching
- Equity Compensation
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