Terrestrial Automation and Controls Engineer II (Aerospace)

Location: On-site in El Segundo, California, United States

Salary: $119,543–$152,749 per year, plus potential stock options and/or long-term cash awards.

Company

hirify.global develops commercial space infrastructure, including in-orbit pharmaceutical processing payloads, reentry capsules, heat shields, and satellite buses.

What you will do

• Design, build, maintain, and commission test systems and ground support equipment for flight hardware qualification and manufacturing.
• Integrate thermal vacuum chambers, ovens, chillers, pressure systems, data acquisition hardware, and precision instrumentation.
• Develop Varda’s internal PLC framework and EtherCAT tooling.
• Evaluate PLC-based TwinCAT 3 and Linux-based approaches for high-frequency real-time control.
• Design electrical panels, build cabinets, wire systems, and debug hardware across the full stack.
• Partner with propulsion, avionics, GNC, and manufacturing teams to deliver reliable test infrastructure.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or a related technical field.
• At least 2 years of industry experience in test automation, controls, and/or industrial automation.
• Experience integrating industrial hardware through EtherCAT, Modbus TCP/RTU, RS-232/485, or similar protocols.
• Experience with a modern PLC ecosystem, preferably Beckhoff TwinCAT 3 and IEC 61131-3 structured text.
• Ability to write control software, design electrical panels, wire cabinets, and troubleshoot hardware.
• Must be authorized to work in the United States and qualify as a U.S. person for access to export-controlled technology.

Nice to have

• Advanced EtherCAT, TwinCAT 3, deterministic real-time control, and custom control framework experience.
• Experience with Python orchestration, Grafana, InfluxDB, or similar data acquisition and visualization tools.
• Aerospace, spacecraft testing, ground support equipment, environmental testing, or propulsion test stand experience.
• Experience with high-pressure gas or fluid systems, safety-related controls, and spacecraft qualification documentation.

Culture & Benefits

• Fast-paced startup environment with end-to-end ownership and shifting priorities.
• Flexible PTO, 12 paid holidays, and 12 weeks of parental leave.
• Company-paid medical, dental, and vision insurance with FSA and employer-matched HSA options.
• 401(k) plan with a 6% immediately vested employer match and incentive equity.
• Relocation support may be available for new hires.
• Daily lunch, twice-weekly dinner, wellness reimbursement, team events, and complimentary EV charging.