Senior Propulsion Automation & Test Systems Engineer (Aerospace)

Location: Waikato, New Zealand; based onsite at the Propulsion Test Complex

Company

hirify.global is an end-to-end space company building rockets, spacecraft, and critical subsystems for space missions.

What you will do

• Act as the primary onsite expert for propulsion test stand automation and control systems.
• Provide day-to-day troubleshooting and operational support for live propulsion test infrastructure.
• Design, commission, and implement upgrades to test systems and automation architecture.
• Develop and maintain test sequences, data acquisition, and control systems using National Instruments platforms.
• Integrate PLC, software, hardware, enterprise tools, logging systems, and data pipelines.
• Work with remote engineering teams and Ground Systems Engineering to resolve complex issues and improve test throughput.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Software, Electrical, Mechatronics, or equivalent engineering discipline.
• Strong experience with National Instruments systems, including LabVIEW, test sequencing, and troubleshooting.
• Experience with industrial automation and PLC-based control systems, such as Beckhoff.
• Proficiency in Python, C, or C# and familiarity with engineering toolchains.
• Hands-on experience with instrumentation, sensors, and electromechanical systems in industrial environments.
• Ability to independently troubleshoot complex systems during live operations.

Nice to have

• Experience with fluid systems, manufacturing automation, or production line commissioning.
• Experience with SQL, data acquisition, industrial data pipelines, TestStand, or FlexLogger.
• Experience integrating operational systems with ERP/EIS platforms.
• Background in high-reliability, safety-critical, remote, or autonomous engineering environments.

Culture & Benefits

• Hands-on work on mission-critical infrastructure that enables spaceflight.
• Collaborative environment with close coordination across engineering teams.
• Work involving challenging projects, tight deadlines, and continuous improvement.
• For New Zealand roles, background and nationality checks are completed before employment offers.
• Eligibility to access equipment and data regulated by US ITAR may be required; certain nationalities or dual nationalities may be ineligible.