Senior Spacecraft Operations Engineer I (Spacecraft Operations)

Location: Based on site at hirify.global's headquarters in Long Beach, California, United States

Base salary: $115,200–$158,400 USD annually. Total compensation including equity: $135,475–$176,025 USD annually.

Company

hirify.global is an end-to-end space company developing launch vehicles, spacecraft, payloads, and mission-critical subsystems for commercial, scientific, and national security missions.

What you will do

• Operate and maintain the health, safety, and performance of a growing fleet of satellites across commissioning, orbit raising, routine operations, and potential re-entry phases.
• Design, develop, and test automated ground software, operational scripts, flight software sequences, FDIR, and telemetry configurations.
• Maintain continuous integration and testing for operational code, develop test methods, and analyze mission data.
• Create interface specifications, CONOPS, design documents, and spacecraft mission requirements.
• Validate spacecraft systems using flatsat, hardware-in-the-loop, and other simulation tools, and support integrated spacecraft tests including TVAC, propulsion stack, and DITL.
• Collaborate with spacecraft design, AIT, flight software, propulsion, GNC, flight dynamics, and ground software teams, including engineering teams in Long Beach and Auckland.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in software, computer, electrical, aerospace, mechanical, or another technical engineering discipline.
• 5+ years of direct experience in space mission design, satellite subsystems, ground systems, spacecraft command and control, or spacecraft operations.
• Understanding of spacecraft subsystems including attitude determination and control, electrical power, space-ground communications, command and data handling, and thermal control.
• Understanding of the space environment, orbital mechanics, and rigid body dynamics.
• Software development experience in Python, Ruby, C, C++, or another high-level language.
• Ability to obtain and maintain U.S. security clearance and meet U.S. ITAR eligibility requirements for work in U.S. offices.

Nice to have

• Master’s or PhD in engineering.
• Prior experience in spacecraft operations, satellite system design, or satellite ground systems.
• Experience with Git, CI/CD, cloud infrastructure, software-in-the-loop, or hardware-in-the-loop testing.
• Active TS/SCI U.S. Government security clearance.

Culture & Benefits

• Health, dental, and vision coverage, including HMO, PPO, and HDHP options with HSA contributions.
• Paid vacation, sick time, holidays, parental leave, disability and life insurance, and a 401(k) plan with company match.
• Employee stock purchase program with a 15% discount and company equity as part of total compensation.
• On-call or shift coverage may be required, along with occasional exposure to production-area noise, dust, and fumes.
• Additional benefits include subsidized EV charging, fitness and gym programs, snacks and beverages, and employee discounts.