Operations Engineer II (Aerospace)

Location: Auckland, New Zealand; based at the Auckland Production Complex

Company

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

What you will do

• Command and operate spacecraft across LEO constellations and deep-space exploration missions, with automation at the core.
• Develop and test ground and flight software for long-term missions.
• Build operational scripts and telemetry and FDIR configurations.
• Lead validation using simulation tools, including hardware-in-the-loop and flatsat environments.
• Support spacecraft through integration, testing, launch, and on-orbit operations.
• Drive continuous improvement across systems, processes, and operational performance.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in aerospace, systems, software, or another engineering discipline.
• 3+ years of experience in space mission design, satellite subsystems, ground systems, or spacecraft operations and command.
• Experience with Linux systems and software development using Python, C++, or another high-level language.
• Strong understanding of spacecraft systems, including ADCS, power, communications, C&DH, and thermal systems.
• Solid knowledge of orbital mechanics, the space environment, and dynamics.
• For New Zealand office roles, eligibility to access equipment and data regulated under U.S. ITAR is required; nationality checks will be conducted.

Nice to have

• Postgraduate degree in Aerospace Engineering.
• Experience in spacecraft operations, satellite design, or ground systems.
• Familiarity with Git, CI/CD, and cloud development tools.
• Hardware-in-the-loop testing experience.

Culture & Benefits

• Fast-paced environment focused on meaningful space missions and real hardware.
• Cross-functional collaboration with propulsion, flight software, GNC, and mission design engineers.
• Culture emphasizes teamwork, accountability, innovation, and delivering under pressure.
• Background checks are completed before employment offers for New Zealand roles.