Director, Hardware Engineering (Aerospace)

Location: North Kingstown, Rhode Island, USA. Relocation packages are available for candidates moving to join the team.

Company

hirify.global develops Seagliders, wing-in-ground-effect craft designed to provide fast, sustainable regional transportation between coastal cities for passengers and cargo.

What you will do

• Lead a 30+ person hardware engineering organization spanning structures, aerodynamics, propulsion, electrical, and mechanical systems.
• Coach and develop functional managers and emerging leaders while strengthening accountability, ownership, and organizational performance.
• Establish execution cadences, decision-making mechanisms, and accountability systems across multiple hardware programs.
• Own hardware engineering processes including configuration management, design reviews, documentation, release processes, and requirements traceability.
• Partner with software engineering, Chief Engineers, PMO, manufacturing, and executive leadership to align resources, interfaces, and program priorities.
• Drive delivery through test campaigns, manufacturing readiness, certification milestones, and production schedules.

Requirements

• Senior engineering leadership experience in aerospace, defense, marine, automotive, or another hardware-intensive industry, preferably in startup environments.
• Demonstrated experience managing and developing engineering managers and building an effective leadership layer.
• Ability to assess and improve an established organization while preserving existing strengths and momentum.
• Experience scaling engineering processes, change management, configuration management, design reviews, documentation, release discipline, and operational rigor.
• Broad technical fluency across structures, mechanical, electrical, propulsion, and aerodynamics or physics.
• Understanding of certification and production readiness, including documentation, traceability, verification, and evidence-based execution.

Nice to have

• Experience guiding multidisciplinary hardware teams through growth and increasing execution complexity.
• Experience in startup environments and with complex transportation or aerospace programs.

Culture & Benefits

• Competitive compensation with an equity incentive plan.
• Health, dental, and vision insurance with 100% of premiums covered.
• 401(k) with company matching.
• Flexible time off, paid parental leave, and company-wide holiday breaks.
• Daily catered lunches and learning and professional development opportunities.