GNC Engineer - Trajectory Design and Guidance Engineer (Aerospace)

Location: Los Angeles, CA. The hired candidate must be a U.S. person under ITAR or otherwise eligible for a federally issued export-control license.

Base salary: $120,000–$200,000 annually, plus equity.

Company

hirify.global develops high-power satellite platforms for commercial and U.S. government missions from LEO to deep space.

What you will do

• Own trajectory optimization tooling and the software pipeline from trajectory definition and optimality verification to burn-plan generation and autonomous execution.
• Develop mission-design capabilities for Mega and Giga spacecraft flying from LEO to MEO, GTO to cislunar space, and Mars capture orbits.
• Design GNC algorithms for precise orbit determination, station keeping, and low-thrust orbit raising.
• Design low-thrust trajectories using Hall Effect Thrusters for MEO, GEO, cislunar, and Mars missions.
• Build simulation and modeling tools for vehicle and GNC trade studies.
• Recruit, interview, and mentor GNC engineers while supporting spacecraft operations and business development.

Requirements

• Master’s degree or higher in aerospace, electrical, or mechanical engineering, physics, or a related field.
• 2+ years of experience in low-thrust trajectory design.
• Hands-on experience with precise orbit determination.
• Track record implementing orbit guidance and control algorithms on a spacecraft.
• Mission-design expertise for both Earth-centric and interplanetary missions.
• Proficiency in Python, Julia, C/C++, or Rust for algorithm development, implementation, and simulation.

Nice to have

• Early-stage spacecraft conceptual design or clean-sheet design experience.
• Low-thrust station-keeping algorithm development, thruster sizing, and algorithm implementation.
• Experience contributing to satellite constellations, on-orbit satellite operations, or 6-DOF simulation development.

Culture & Benefits

• High-growth Series D-funded company building and mass-producing high-power satellite platforms.
• Paid time off, medical, dental, and vision coverage, life insurance, and paid parental leave.
• Equity in the company.
• Non-traditional career paths are encouraged, and candidates may apply without 100% of the preferred experience.