Senior Materials & Processes Engineer, Thermal Protection Systems & Soft Goods (Aerospace)

Location: Long Beach, California, United States

Salary: $124,000–$186,000 USD annually

Company

hirify.global develops and manufactures rockets, including the Terran R launch vehicle, to expand commercial launch capacity and enable future scientific and exploratory missions.

What you will do

• Own materials and processes engineering for Terran R thermal protection systems and non-metallic soft goods supporting flight and reuse.
• Define qualification envelopes, create test plans, execute characterization campaigns, and analyze data for flight qualification and operational use.
• Develop, implement, and maintain technical specifications and engineering standards.
• Lead statistically driven experimental design and process improvement campaigns.
• Collaborate with materials, laboratory, responsible engineering, manufacturing, thermal protection, reliability, supply chain, and customer fracture control teams.
• Support materials selection, design and analysis, qualification, failure analysis, troubleshooting, cost and rate improvements, and vehicle reuse.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in materials science or engineering, chemistry, or a related field.
• 5+ years of relevant experience in materials and processes engineering.
• Experience with material selection, process development, qualification, damage tolerance, inspections, risk assessments, and failure analysis.
• Strong accountability, collaboration, execution, and interdisciplinary relationship-building skills.
• Ability to work in a fast-paced environment with continuously evolving products and processes.

Nice to have

• Experience applying non-metallic materials to aerospace products, including corks, foams, ceramics, coatings, potting materials, elastomeric gaskets, polymer systems, lubricants, and greases.
• Understanding of cryogenic and high-temperature non-metallic material behavior.
• Experience with non-metallic testing standards and procedures.
• Familiarity with contamination control and outgassing principles.

Culture & Benefits

• Competitive salary and equity.
• Generous paid time off and sick leave.
• Parental leave.
• Annual learning and development stipend.
• Cross-functional environment with significant ownership and technical impact.