Senior Propulsion Development Engineer (Aerospace)

Location: Fully onsite at the Centennial, Colorado office

Base salary: $135,000–$190,000 per year, plus equity and benefits.

Company

hirify.global develops autonomous spacecraft, advanced payloads, mission software, and space-based interceptors for space superiority and defense.

What you will do

• Define and maintain requirements for a new propulsion test facility and test stand supporting spacecraft and missile defense hardware.
• Establish performance requirements for thrust, propellant flow, pressure, temperature, test duration, data acquisition, storage, delivery, purge, vent, and fire suppression systems.
• Lead infrastructure trade studies covering test stand configurations, propellant feed architectures, GSE procurement or fabrication, data acquisition platforms, utilities, and control room layouts.
• Collaborate with civil, mechanical, and electrical engineers to translate requirements into facility designs and review drawings, P&IDs, and equipment specifications.
• Support hazard analysis, safety basis documentation, operating procedures, risk mitigation, acceptance testing, commissioning, and anomaly investigations.
• Develop test procedures, instrumentation layouts, and data acquisition plans for initial and recurring propulsion test campaigns.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Aerospace, Mechanical, or Chemical Engineering.
• 8+ years of professional experience in propulsion or fluid systems test engineering for aerospace, defense, or other high-reliability applications.
• Experience developing propulsion or fluid system test stand or facility requirements and conducting formal engineering trade studies.
• Strong knowledge of engines, valves, regulators, tanks, pressurization systems, feed system architectures, propellant handling, and supporting facility infrastructure.
• Ability to work independently, close technical tasks, produce structured technical reports, and present recommendations to senior leadership.
• Must be eligible under U.S. ITAR requirements as a U.S. citizen, lawful permanent resident, protected individual, or person eligible to obtain the required U.S. Department of State authorizations.

Nice to have

• Master’s degree in Aerospace, Mechanical, or Chemical Engineering.
• Experience designing, building, or commissioning a new propulsion test stand or facility.
• Experience with P&ID development, LabVIEW, Python, MATLAB, test automation, and data acquisition systems.
• Familiarity with MIL-STD, AIAA propulsion test standards, NASA-STD-5012, hazardous fluid safety requirements, and hypergolic-compatible systems.
• Colorado Front Range permitting, zoning, or environmental experience, vendor evaluation experience, or an active Secret-or-higher DoD clearance.

Culture & Benefits

• Health, dental, vision, HRA/HSA options, PTO, paid holidays, 401(k), and parental leave.
• Equity participation.
• Onsite work in a propulsion test and aerospace development environment.
• Opportunity to establish a new test capability and transition into managing recurring propulsion development programs.