Principal Spacecraft Simulation Software Engineer (Aerospace)

Location: Fully onsite in Denver, Colorado, or Long Beach, California; candidates must be based in or able to commute to the office daily.

Salary: $210,000–$325,000 base salary per year, plus equity and benefits.

Company

hirify.global develops autonomous spacecraft, advanced payloads, mission software, and space-based interceptors for U.S. and allied space-security missions.

What you will do

• Define the long-term technical strategy and architecture for simulation infrastructure spanning multi-physics, real-time, faster-than-real-time, and HIL/SIL environments.
• Design and implement production-quality spacecraft models covering rigid-body dynamics, thermal systems, attitude control, propulsion, power, sensors, and actuators.
• Develop coupled physics algorithms, numerical solvers, integration schemes, and time-stepping methods for accurate and performant simulation.
• Define versioned, backward-compatible C++ and Python APIs and create documentation, developer guides, and reference examples.
• Partner with mission planning, GNC, systems engineering, autonomy, and operations teams to translate capability needs into platform investments.
• Provide technical leadership through architecture guidance, code reviews, mentorship, standards, and cross-functional technical forums.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in aerospace engineering, mechanical engineering, computer science, physics, applied mathematics, or equivalent experience; an advanced degree is preferred.
• 10+ years of professional software development focused on simulation, scientific computing, or aerospace applications, with progression into technical leadership.
• Expert-level modern C++ proficiency, including STL, templates, performance optimization, and large-scale system design.
• Proficiency in Python for API design, scripting, automation, and data analysis.
• Deep expertise in at least two relevant domains, such as ADCS, GNC, thermal control, electric power, propulsion, orbital mechanics, or HIL/SIL systems.
• Experience defining verification and validation frameworks for physics-based models, including uncertainty quantification and validation against test or flight data.

Nice to have

• Experience with hypersonic aerothermal, aerodynamic, and flight-dynamics modeling.
• Expertise in ODE/DAE solvers, numerical linear algebra, sparse matrices, automatic differentiation, and stiff or multi-rate systems.
• Experience with Git, CI/CD, CMake or Bazel, testing frameworks, parallel or distributed computing, Docker, and cloud platforms.
• Experience designing HIL/SIL interfaces to flight software or embedded hardware.
• Published research, conference presentations, or patents in simulation, astrodynamics, GNC, or related fields.

Culture & Benefits

• Work in a mission-focused aerospace and defense environment developing autonomous spacecraft and space technologies.
• Health, dental, vision, HRA/HSA options, paid time off, and paid holidays.
• 401(k), parental leave, and equity participation.
• Equal employment opportunity and accommodation support are provided.

Hiring process

• The position remains open until successfully filled.
• Actual level and base salary are determined case by case based on knowledge, skills, education, location, and experience.