Director, Payloads Systems Integration and Test (Aerospace)

Location: On-site in El Segundo, California, United States. Candidates must be authorized to work in the United States and meet the company's U.S. person requirements for access to export-controlled technology.

Salary: $185,640–$251,160 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

• Build and lead the Payload Systems Integration and Test team, including hiring, development, and headcount planning.
• Own integration and testing for pharmaceutical processing payloads, including functional and process verification, contamination control, and environmental qualification.
• Define payload interfaces and requirements, maintain interface control documents, verify interfaces, and evolve the Payload User Guide.
• Plan and execute integration and test campaigns covering functional testing, random vibration, thermal vacuum, EMI/EMC, shock, and other environmental qualification activities.
• Coordinate with vehicle engineering, production, mission management, and customers to scope modifications, meet milestones, and manage technical commitments.
• Support payload operations through flight, hypersonic reentry, recovery, and payload data and hardware return.

Requirements

• 10+ years of spacecraft or aerospace hardware experience spanning integration, testing, and mission execution.
• Hands-on experience planning and running environmental qualification campaigns on flight hardware.
• Strong interface engineering experience, including ICDs, requirements flow-down, and interface verification across organizational boundaries.
• Experience leading engineers, hiring, developing early-career talent, and establishing team processes.
• Experience across mechanical, thermal, fluidic, electrical, and software interfaces, plus cleanroom operations and contamination control.
• B.S. in a relevant engineering discipline and customer-facing experience managing scope, schedules, expectations, and technical commitments.

Nice to have

• Active TS/SCI clearance or eligibility to obtain one.
• Experience with fluidic, thermal, process, pharmaceutical, biological, chemical, or life sciences payloads.
• Hosted or rideshare payload accommodation, reentry, recovery, or landed-vehicle experience.
• Defense or government program experience, experience establishing a new function, or an M.S. in a relevant engineering discipline.

Culture & Benefits

• Regular full-time employment with flexible paid time off and 12 paid holidays.
• Company-paid medical, dental, and vision insurance, with FSA and employer-matched HSA options.
• Parental leave, family-building support, wellness reimbursement, and sponsored One Medical memberships.
• 6% employer-matched 401(k), incentive equity, cell phone reimbursement, and relocation support for new hires if needed.
• Daily lunch, twice-weekly dinner, team events, mission-success celebrations, and complimentary EV charging.