Senior Paraglider & Parachute Engineer

 Sr. Paraglider & Parachute Engineer 

Location: Playa Vista, California (in-person, five days per week) 

Launch has changed the economics of space. Now it is time to return. 

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. 

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.  

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. 

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.

The Role 

The Sr. Paraglider & Parachute Engineer 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. 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. 

Responsibilities 

• Recovery System Architect: Lead the design and development of the parachute & paraglider recovery system, including canopy sizing, reefing strategies, and riser geometry.
• Textile & Manufacturing: 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).
• Deployment Sequence: 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.
• Flight Test Lead: Plan and execute flight tests (dropped from crane, aircraft, and balloon platforms) to validate opening characteristics and flight performance.
• GNC Integration: 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.
• Hands-on Fabrication: Be willing to "cut cloth" and work with riggers and sewing technicians to prototype designs rapidly.
• Reliability: Own the reliability analysis for the recovery system, ensuring we meet the stringent safety requirements for returning critical payloads 

Qualifications 

• Bachelor's Degree in Aerospace Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or a related field.
• 10 years of experience minimum (15+ years preferred) in the design and manufacturing of paragliders, parachutes, or parafoils
• Deep knowledge of soft-goods: Expertise in textile behaviors, patterning software (e.g., SpaceCAD, Lectra, specialized CAD modules), and construction techniques for flight-critical fabrics.
• Flight Test Heritage: Experience planning and conducting flight tests, including instrumentation, ground support, and data analysis.
• Mechanism Experience: Familiarity with reefing line cutters, pyrotechnic releases, and multi-stage deployment mechanisms.
• Aerodynamics: Strong understanding of low-speed aerodynamics, glide ratios, flare characteristics, and dynamic stability of flexible wings.
• Team Player: Ability to communicate complex aerodynamic behaviors to software engineers and structural engineers to ensure the whole vehicle works as a system. 

Preferred Experience 

• Active U.S. Government Security Clearance (Not required, but beneficial)
• Experience with precision guided aerial delivery systems (JPADS) or similar autonomous cargo delivery platforms.
• Experience with FAA coordination for flight testing in controlled and uncontrolled airspace.
• US military veterans, especially those with prior service as paratrooper or working closely with cargo aircraft
• Background in skydiving, paragliding, or rigging (FAA Master Rigger certification is a plus).
• Experience simulating fluid structure interaction & deformed shape analysis (LS-DYNA or similar). 

Compensation & Benefits

• $160,000 – $210,000; Salary may vary with experience
• Incentive Stock Options
• Annual Performance-Based Bonus
• Medical, Dental and Vision Insurance
• Short- and Long-Term Disability Insurance
• Life Insurance
• PTO
• 401k with Company match
• Subsidized daily catered lunch, snacks and coffee