Director, Fluid Systems Test (Aerospace)

Location: Long Beach, California, United States

Salary: $203,360–$288,672 USD per year in California

Company

hirify.global develops next-generation commercial space stations and spacecraft systems to support continuous human presence in space, microgravity research, manufacturing, and the emerging space economy.

What you will do

• Lead the Fluids Test organization across component, subsystem, and integrated testing for propulsion, thermal control, ECLSS, pressurized systems, and spacecraft fluid distribution hardware.
• Develop and execute fluids test strategies for Haven-1 and future spacecraft programs from early development through qualification, integration, and flight readiness.
• Build and scale a multidisciplinary organization of test engineers, technicians, operations specialists, controls engineers, and infrastructure teams.
• Oversee the design, commissioning, operation, maintenance, and improvement of fluid, pressure, cryogenic, vacuum, and supporting ground infrastructure.
• Lead integrated test campaigns, readiness reviews, procedures, hazard analyses, safety reviews, anomaly resolution, and failure investigations.
• Manage facility utilization, capital equipment, budgets, staffing forecasts, infrastructure planning, acceptance testing, launch-site operations, and mission-readiness activities.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, Chemical Engineering, or a related technical discipline.
• 10+ years of experience in aerospace, defense, launch vehicle, spacecraft, propulsion, or complex fluid systems testing.
• 5+ years of technical leadership or people-management experience leading engineering or test organizations.
• Experience developing, operating, or scaling fluid, propulsion, thermal, cryogenic, pneumatic, or pressurized-system test infrastructure.
• Strong knowledge of instrumentation, data acquisition, controls integration, automation systems, test operations, root-cause investigation, and troubleshooting.
• Experience leading high-risk operations and integrated test campaigns involving hazardous fluids, cryogenic systems, pressure systems, or oxygen-compatible systems.

Nice to have

• Experience with human-rated spacecraft, launch vehicles, commercial spaceflight, NASA, military, or advanced aerospace programs.
• Experience with propulsion hot-fire testing, thermal vacuum testing, integrated environmental testing, spacecraft acceptance testing, launch campaigns, or flight certification.
• Knowledge of cryogenic, oxygen, hypergolic, pressurized, or life-support fluid systems.
• Experience building large-scale engineering or operations organizations and scaling test infrastructure in fast-paced hardware environments.
• Master’s degree in Aerospace Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Chemical Engineering, or a related discipline.

Culture & Benefits

• Full-time exempt employment with company equity.
• Medical, dental, and vision coverage for employees and dependents.
• Paid time off, parental leave, disability and life insurance, and access to a 401(k) retirement plan.
• Free snacks, coffee, drinks, dinner meals, a subsidized lunch, ClassPass credits, and personalized mental healthcare.
• Extended hours, weekends, and occasional travel may be required during critical test campaigns, supplier activities, integration, and launch operations.