Manager, Energetics Test Engineering (Aerospace & Defense)

Location: Rio Rancho, New Mexico, United States

Company

hirify.global develops advanced defense systems, including hypersonic programs such as Blackbeard.

What you will do

• Lead, hire, mentor, and set priorities for the energetics test engineering team.
• Own the roadmap for development, qualification, and production-acceptance testing of solid rocket motors and related energetic hardware.
• Develop test plans, procedures, instrumentation requirements, success criteria, and resource plans for static-fire and qualification tests.
• Ensure test stands, instrumentation, data acquisition, and safety systems are ready and maintained for scheduled campaigns.
• Oversee real-time test support, data reduction, anomaly investigations, and formal reporting with Propulsion and Quality.
• Coordinate with Manufacturing, Site Operations, range safety organizations, external test facilities, and senior leadership on readiness, schedules, risks, and testability.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, Systems Engineering, or a related field.
• 8+ years of test engineering experience in aerospace, defense, or propulsion.
• 3+ years leading engineers or serving as a technical lead on energetic, ordnance, or solid rocket motor test programs.
• Experience planning and supporting static-fire or equivalent high-consequence propulsion tests.
• Strong knowledge of propulsion test planning, instrumentation, data acquisition, post-test analysis, safety systems, configuration control, and aerospace quality systems.
• Ability to obtain required U.S. Government security clearance or authorization and satisfy applicable citizenship or other eligibility requirements if required for the position.

Nice to have

• Direct leadership of solid rocket motor static-fire or missile propulsion test campaigns.
• Experience with both development testing and production-acceptance testing.
• Experience at government or commercial test ranges.
• Familiarity with ITAR-controlled programs and classified test environments.
• Experience scaling a test engineering team as test cadence increases.

Culture & Benefits

• Early-stage environment with significant ownership and direct impact on defense-system development.
• Focus on execution, accountability, technical excellence, and a strong safety culture.
• Collaboration across Propulsion, Manufacturing, Site Operations, Quality, and range partners.
• Generous benefits package.
• Access to export-controlled information requires eligibility to access applicable information without additional export licensing.