Principal Engineer, Space Payloads (Aerospace)

Location: Tucson, Arizona, United States. The role requires working in classified environments at least 25% of the time and includes up to 25% travel. U.S. office roles are subject to ITAR-related nationality or authorization requirements.

Company

hirify.global is an end-to-end space company developing rockets, spacecraft, payloads, and critical subsystems for commercial, civil, and national security missions.

What you will do

• Own the technical baseline across systems engineering, hardware, software, and test.
• Lead the design, development, and integration of space-based electro-optical sensor systems.
• Chair program gate reviews from system requirements review through test readiness review.
• Direct architectures spanning payloads, ground systems, and mission operations.
• Oversee engineering execution, subcontractors, cost, schedule, technical performance, and program risks.
• Interface with government customers and suppliers while mentoring multidisciplinary engineers and supporting proposals.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in a technical discipline and 12+ years of professional experience.
• Principal-level experience as a chief engineer or technical authority on a major defense contract or program of record.
• Experience delivering complex aerospace or defense systems to cost, schedule, and performance requirements.
• Active Secret or Top Secret clearance with SCI eligibility.
• Experience leading large-scale proposals, technical reviews, and relationships with senior government customers.
• Ability to work with classified and sensitive program information in U.S. office environments.

Nice to have

• Master’s degree or PhD in a technical discipline.
• Space mission and payload integration experience, including EO/IR, radar, or hyperspectral sensors.
• Experience with command and control, mission planning, tactical ground systems, CONOPS, or enterprise-scale architectures.
• Knowledge of data exploitation, machine learning, Automatic Target Recognition, and MBSE.
• Experience integrating large-scale defense or aerospace systems across suppliers and subcontractors.

Culture & Benefits

• Work on spacecraft, payloads, and subsystems supporting lunar, planetary, commercial, and national security missions.
• Collaborative, hands-on environment focused on innovation, technical excellence, and mission delivery.
• Work includes prolonged sitting, standing, walking, computer use, and occasional exposure to noise, dust, and fumes in production areas.
• Equal employment opportunity and reasonable accommodation support are provided for U.S. applicants.