Chief Engineer, Long-Range Missile Systems (Aerospace)

Location: Onsite in El Segundo, California, United States

Salary: $220,000–$300,000 base salary per year

Company

hirify.global develops defense products powered by Coherent Distributed Networks for warfighters, commercial air operators, and border protection teams. Founded in 2022, the company has raised $1 billion and has more than 500 employees across five global offices.

What you will do

• Own the technical direction of the long-range missile program from concept and architecture through qualification, flight testing, production transition, and fielding.
• Act as the senior technical authority for system architecture, requirements, design decisions, trade studies, and technical risk management.
• Lead design reviews including SRR, PDR, CDR, and TRR.
• Direct integration of airframe, guidance and navigation, propulsion, avionics, software, firmware, and electrical and mechanical subsystems.
• Own system verification and validation, test planning, and flight test readiness.
• Partner with program management, manufacturing, and customers while mentoring senior engineers and driving configuration control.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in aerospace, mechanical, systems, electrical engineering, or a related field.
• 15+ years of experience developing missile, munition, or high-TRL flight systems, including technical leadership of a program or major subsystem.
• Experience taking a system through full lifecycle development, including flight testing.
• Detailed knowledge of tactical aircraft carriage environments, missile employment envelopes, propulsion, airframe controls, guidance and navigation, target phenomenology, and defeat mechanisms.
• Strong systems engineering practice and knowledge of DoD standards for safety, environments, and testing.
• Current or recent DoD SECRET clearance required.

Nice to have

• Master’s degree or higher.
• Current or recent DoD TOP SECRET clearance and eligibility for SAP and/or SCI indoctrination.
• Prior experience as Chief Engineer, Lead Systems Engineer, or Technical Director on a fielded missile program.
• Knowledge of ground launcher and shipboard integration environments and the long-range kill chain.
• Experience with a prime integrator or a fast-moving defense startup.

Culture & Benefits

• Medical, dental, and vision benefits fully paid by the company.
• 401(k) with a 50% company match up to 6% of pay, plus FSA, HSA, and life insurance.
• Free daily lunch and a stocked kitchen for onsite employees.
• Unlimited PTO and casual dress code.
• Relocation assistance, pre-IPO stock options, and planned annual bonuses.