Senior / Principal Propulsion Engineer

Location: Long Beach, California, United States. Candidates seeking to work in U.S. offices must meet applicable ITAR eligibility requirements, including U.S. citizenship, lawful permanent residence, refugee or asylum status, or eligibility to obtain required authorizations.

Base pay range: $116,000–$270,000 USD per year.

Company

hirify.global is an end-to-end aerospace company developing rockets, spacecraft, and critical spaceflight subsystems, including the Neutron launch vehicle and Archimedes engines.

What you will do

• Design, analyze, test, fly, and refly next-generation propulsion hardware.
• Own propulsion subsystems and engine operations while driving operational readiness and flight success.
• Develop and execute qualification and acceptance test plans, then review post-test and hotfire data.
• Collaborate with engineering disciplines to improve engine performance, reliability, and manufacturability.
• Plan and prioritize work across teams, resolve competing priorities, and align execution with program goals.
• Support manufacturing, testing, and vehicle operations throughout the engine lifecycle while mentoring engineers.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering, aerospace engineering, or a related field.
• 5+ years of rocket engine development, testing, or operations experience for Senior Engineer I; 8+ years for Senior Engineer II; or 12+ years for Principal Engineer.
• Strong knowledge of fluid dynamics, thermodynamics, cryogenic systems, and rocket engine architecture.
• Familiarity with engine P&IDs, fluid system routing, and hotfire data reviews.
• For U.S. office work, meet applicable ITAR access and authorization requirements.

Nice to have

• Advanced degree in a fluid-mechanics-focused field.
• Experience with oxygen-rich staged combustion systems and Methyl/LOX propellants.
• Background in failure analysis, combustion dynamics, turbopump mechanics, or hydraulics.
• Experience with reusable rocket engines, test and launch facility operations, and design, qualification, or production best practices.

Culture & Benefits

• Medical, dental, and vision coverage, including a company-sponsored HSA option.
• Three weeks of paid vacation, five sick days, paid holidays, parental leave, disability insurance, and life insurance.
• 401(k) retirement plan with company match and employee stock purchase program.
• Onsite gym, subsidized EV charging, food and drinks, and additional employee discounts.
• Work culture emphasizes technical ownership, teamwork, innovation, fast execution, and delivery under tight deadlines.