Senior Instrument Systems Engineer (Aerospace)

TL;DR

Senior Instrument Systems Engineer (Aerospace): Leading the development of infrared remote sensing instruments for national security missions with an accent on architecture trades, radiometric modeling, and requirements decomposition. Focus on driving modular instrument design, managing technical budgets, and supporting assembly, integration, and test (AI&T) activities.

Location: Must be based in or able to commute to Mountain View or San Jose, CA (Hybrid: 3 days/week on-site)

Salary: $184,000–$223,000

Company

hirify.global is an end-to-end space systems provider designing and operating LEO satellite constellations for Earth Intelligence.

What you will do

• Lead instrument architecture trades and define concepts of operations.
• Own radiometric models, throughput budgets, and requirements flowdown.
• Develop and manage technical budgets including mass, power, thermal, and jitter.
• Create interface control documents (ICDs) to drive modular architecture.
• Support instrument assembly, integration, and test (AI&T) planning.
• Participate in a 24/7 on-call rotation for on-orbit anomaly resolution.

Requirements

• Must be a U.S. person or eligible for export authorization (ITAR/EAR compliance).
• Ability to obtain TS/SCI security clearance.
• 5+ years of experience in multi-disciplinary environments with imaging systems.
• Proficiency in Python or Julia.
• Experience with root cause analysis, data analysis, and test report generation.
• Must be able to work on-site in Mountain View or San Jose, CA three days per week.

Nice to have

• Experience with STOP analysis and error budget allocations.
• Hands-on experience with precision optical and mechanical metrology.
• Background in environmental testing (TVAC, vibration) and launch campaigns.
• Experience working in cleanroom environments.

Culture & Benefits

• Equity compensation package.
• Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision insurance.
• 401k retirement plan with company contributions.
• Three weeks paid vacation, 12 paid holidays, and unlimited sick time.
• Paid parental leave and disability/life insurance.