Spacecraft Propulsion Architect (Aerospace)

Location: London, United Kingdom

Company

hirify.global develops in-orbit servicing and space debris removal solutions for sustainable space operations.

What you will do

• Own the spacecraft propulsion architecture throughout the mission lifecycle.
• Define and justify propulsion concepts, subsystem architectures, requirements, interfaces, budgets, margins, and system allocations.
• Lead propulsion sizing analyses, performance assessments, system-level trade studies, and design convergence.
• Coordinate propulsion analyses, verification strategies, qualification, acceptance, and launch readiness activities.
• Assess technical impacts of changes, anomalies, and non-conformances affecting the propulsion architecture.
• Provide technical leadership in design reviews and interactions with customers, suppliers, partners, and institutional stakeholders while mentoring engineers.

Requirements

• 10+ years of experience in spacecraft propulsion engineering.
• Proven experience in spacecraft propulsion architecture or equivalent senior technical leadership.
• Strong expertise in chemical and/or electric spacecraft propulsion systems, including fluid systems, propellant management, pressurization, and propulsion hardware.
• Experience with spacecraft-level trade-offs, propulsion sizing, architecture definition, requirements, interfaces, and technical baselines.
• Familiarity with spacecraft integration, environmental testing, verification campaigns, and complex spacecraft delivery.
• Strong communication, leadership, multidisciplinary collaboration, and stakeholder management skills.

Nice to have

• MSc or PhD in Aerospace Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or a related discipline.
• Experience with robotic spacecraft, active debris removal, or servicing missions.
• Experience with cold-gas, monopropellant, bipropellant, and electric propulsion systems.
• Familiarity with ECSS standards and ESA programmes.
• Experience with launch campaigns, in-orbit commissioning, propulsion integration impacts, and international suppliers.

Culture & Benefits

• Work within a geographically distributed development environment spanning the UK and Europe.
• Contribute to sustainable space operations and the development of reusable, affordable spacecraft platforms.
• Collaborate with world-leading institutions, companies, suppliers, and industrial partners.