Principal Manufacturing Engineer (Structures)

Location: On-site in El Segundo, California, United States. Regularly lift 25 lbs., bend, stoop, and stand for extended periods while working directly with hardware. Must be a U.S. person authorized to work in the United States and permitted to access export-controlled technology without an export license.

Salary: $181,913–$262,763 per year, plus eligibility for stock options and/or long-term cash awards.

Company

hirify.global develops commercial space infrastructure, including in-orbit pharmaceutical processing payloads, reentry capsules, heat shields, and satellite buses, with vehicles and equipment built, integrated, and tested in-house.

What you will do

• Own manufacturing processes for composite structures, including wet layup, prepreg, autoclave and oven cure, machined metallic components, and bonded assemblies.
• Create and maintain work instructions, process specifications, and manufacturing travelers for structural build operations.
• Provide design-for-manufacturing feedback on composite parts, tooling access, bond joints, fastener patterns, and structural assembly models.
• Lead cleanliness, FOD prevention, contamination control, non-conformance investigations, and root-cause corrective actions for structural defects and materials issues.
• Define and procure drill jigs and assembly fixtures, refine work-cell layouts, and improve product flow and throughput.
• Coordinate with supply chain on incoming inspection requirements for composite materials, adhesives, and structural raw stock.

Requirements

• B.S. in Mechanical Engineering, Materials Engineering, or a related discipline, or equivalent professional experience; typically 6–10+ years.
• 6+ years of manufacturing experience with structural assembly or manufacturing involving riveted or welded structures, machined metals, composites, or bonded structures.
• Strong understanding of structural static-load analysis and the mechanical properties of materials and processes used to assemble riveted and bolted structures.
• Hands-on experience assembling and fabricating structural assemblies through welding, adhesive bonding, or riveting.
• Ability to read and interpret engineering drawings, GD&T callouts, and structural assembly models.
• Experience writing and maintaining manufacturing process documentation and work instructions.
• Strong problem-solving skills, including diagnosing structural build defects and driving corrective actions through closure.
• Ability to meet the physical requirements of regularly lifting 25 lbs., bending, stooping, and standing for extended periods.

Nice to have

• M.S. in Mechanical Engineering with specialization in Materials Science, Structural Analysis, or a related discipline, or equivalent professional experience.
• Experience manufacturing primary flight structures for launch vehicles, satellites, or reentry systems.
• Understanding of dynamic and vibrational loads analysis.
• Experience transitioning structural assemblies from R&D or prototype production to rate production, including tooling qualification.
• Knowledge of manufacturing aerospace structural materials such as aluminum alloys, titanium, and steel.
• Experience with CATIA, SolidWorks, or NX for tooling design and assembly model review.
• Familiarity with first article inspection processes and FAIR documentation requirements.
• Experience at a new-space company or defense prime where structural production cadence was being increased.

Culture & Benefits

• Hands-on work in an on-site aerospace production facility.
• Collaboration with structural design engineers and skilled technicians.
• Eligibility for stock options and/or long-term cash awards.
• Equal opportunity employment with evaluation based on merit, qualifications, and performance.