Head of Mission Design & Flight Dynamics (Aerospace)

Location: Auckland, New Zealand; the role may also be based in the United States. US-office candidates must meet applicable ITAR eligibility requirements. New Zealand-office candidates must pass nationality and background checks and be eligible to access ITAR-regulated equipment and data.

Company

hirify.global is an end-to-end space company developing rockets, spacecraft, satellites, constellations, and critical space subsystems for missions spanning Earth orbit, the Moon, and Mars.

What you will do

• Own the vision, direction, and technology roadmap for Mission Design and Flight Dynamics.
• Balance live mission delivery with long-term capability growth and drive automation, efficiency, and expanded operational capability.
• Lead a global, multi-site Flight Dynamics team through development phases and operational campaigns.
• Provide strategic leadership, technical forecasting, prioritisation, mentorship, and motivation.
• Respond to emerging risks and make cross-functional decisions across Spacecraft Operations, FSW, GNC, GSW, and Systems.
• Support hiring, performance management, and remuneration cycles.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s, Master’s, or PhD in Aerospace Engineering or a related field.
• 8+ years of applied spacecraft flight dynamics and/or operations experience.
• Relevant experience in software development and testing.
• Background in orbit determination or trajectory optimisation.
• Ability to manage complex parallel tasks and operate under significant pressure in operational and development environments.
• Experience motivating geographically distributed teams and providing clarity through complex technical challenges.

Culture & Benefits

• Work on lunar, Martian, and Earth-orbiting spacecraft missions.
• Collaborate with distributed teams across multiple locations.
• Operate in a fast-paced environment focused on rapid delivery, technical innovation, and tight deadlines.
• Contribute to next-generation space technology and vertically integrated mission capabilities.