Senior Propulsion Engineer - Hardware and Bus Systems (Spacecraft Propulsion)

Location: On-site in El Segundo, California, United States. Candidates must be authorized to work in the United States and qualify as a U.S. person under ITAR requirements.

Salary: $140,333–$179,314 per year, plus potential stock options and/or long-term cash awards.

Company

hirify.global develops commercial space infrastructure, including in-orbit pharmaceutical processing, reentry capsules, heat shields, and satellite buses.

What you will do

• Own the propulsion subsystem technical baseline, including P&IDs and system-level documentation.
• Design, analyze, build, test, and operate propulsion flight hardware and fluid-system components for satellite buses.
• Define propulsion architectures, requirements, roadmaps, propellant budgets, pressure ladders, component sizing, and structural and thermal limits.
• Develop Python scripts and spreadsheet tools for propulsion analysis and test-data reduction.
• Perform detailed mechanical design and structural analysis using CATIA, SolidWorks, NX, ANSYS, NASTRAN, or equivalent tools.
• Lead anomaly investigations, disposition hardware nonconformances, support in-flight console operations, and mentor junior engineers.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Aerospace Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or a related discipline, or equivalent professional experience.
• At least 3 years of hands-on spacecraft or launch-vehicle propulsion or fluid-systems experience covering definition, design, build, and test.
• Working knowledge of pressurized components, tubing, fittings, seals, valves, instrumentation, and P&IDs.
• Proficiency with CAD and PLM software, plus experience authoring and executing ground-test or flight operational procedures.
• Demonstrated ability to resolve technical problems and anomaly investigations across organizational boundaries.
• U.S. work authorization and U.S. person status are required for access to export-controlled technology.

Nice to have

• Six or more years of spacecraft or launch-vehicle propulsion experience, including monopropellant, bipropellant, or cold-gas satellite-bus architectures.
• Experience with Python-based analysis automation, 1D fluid modeling, ANSYS or NASTRAN, technical drawings, and ASME Y14.5 GD&T.
• Experience with cryogenic, hypergolic, or high-test peroxide propellants and related cleanliness, handling, and safety requirements.
• Test, launch-site, or in-flight operations experience, as well as experience developing engineering standards or mentoring technical contributors.

Culture & Benefits

• Regular full-time employees receive flexible PTO and 12 paid holidays.
• Company-paid medical, dental, and vision insurance, with FSA and employer-matched HSA options.
• Parental leave, family-building support, One Medical memberships, and a monthly wellness reimbursement.
• 401(k) plan with a 6% immediately vested employer match and incentive equity.
• Relocation support may be available for new hires.
• Daily lunch, twice-weekly dinner, team events, and complimentary EV charging are provided on-site.