Chief Engineer - Targets (Hypersonic)

Location: Mojave, California, United States; onsite. Travel estimated at less than 10%. Applicants must be a US Person able to obtain a Department of Defense security clearance.

Base salary: $163,000–$229,352 for the first Principal-Level band or $205,000–$294,200 for the second Principal-Level band, based on experience and leveling.

Company

hirify.global engineers reusable, air-launched Talon testbeds for operationally realistic hypersonic testing and delivers flight data for national security technology development.

What you will do

• Lead people and support execution of hypersonic targets development programs with internal and customer leadership.
• Apply systems engineering principles to control scope, manage risk, and drive technical quality.
• Lead technical meetings, Engineering Review Board sessions, and SRR, PDR, and CDR gate reviews.
• Lead trade studies and make technical decisions across aerodynamics, propulsion, avionics, airframe, GNC, and payloads.
• Create engineering staffing plans, identify capability gaps, and support proposals and business development activities.

Requirements

• Demonstrated success leading engineering teams while balancing cost, schedule, and technical performance.
• Experience as a system integrator and technical leader for missile and/or hypersonic flight vehicle development.
• Subject matter expertise in at least one relevant domain, including aerodynamics, propulsion, avionics, airframe, or GNC, with sufficient breadth to lead a multidisciplinary team.
• Experience managing stakeholders, including government customers, and supporting defense contracts.
• Strong analytical, critical-thinking, communication, and interpersonal skills, with the ability to solve open-ended technical problems independently.
• US Person status and the ability to obtain a DoD security clearance are required. A bachelor's degree and 20–25 or 25+ years of relevant experience are required depending on leveling.

Nice to have

• Previous Chief Engineer experience on missile or hypersonic flight vehicle development programs.
• Hypersonic or high-speed tactical missile experience, including multistage systems, hot-structure airframes, or launch-platform integration.
• Solid rocket motor propulsion experience.
• Experience transitioning developmental systems to production.
• Active TS/SCI security clearance.

Culture & Benefits

• Medical, dental, vision, and prescription drug healthcare coverage.
• Paid maternity and parental leave.
• 50% company match on employee 401(k) contributions, up to $11,500.
• Tuition reimbursement.
• Equal opportunity workplace with a commitment to diversity and non-discrimination.