Manager, Propulsion Development Engineering (Rocket Propulsion)

Location: Full-time onsite at the factory in Long Beach, California, United States; approximately 15% travel to test and launch sites, with occasional shifted schedules or weekend work for critical milestones.

Salary: $160,000–$240,000 USD per year, plus equity.

Company

hirify.global is developing the Terran R launch vehicle and its propulsion systems to deliver customer payloads to orbit.

What you will do

• Lead a team of propulsion and engine systems engineers.
• Drive engine system architecture and CONOPS trades.
• Manage engine interfaces and negotiate requirements to optimize vehicle performance.
• Support engine system analysis, simulation, testing, and tool development.
• Provide technical guidance, mentorship, priority setting, and recruiting support.
• Make direct technical contributions to the development and qualification of the Aeon R engine.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in science, engineering, technology, mathematics, or a related field.
• 8+ years of relevant engineering experience in complex system development or testing.
• At least 2 years of direct experience with liquid-propellant rocket engines.
• Experience leading engineering teams.
• Strong fundamentals in fluid mechanics and thermodynamics.
• Ability to lead collaborative projects to completion with minimal oversight.

Nice to have

• Working knowledge of valves, instrumentation, combustion devices, and turbomachinery.
• Experience mentoring engineers and managing complex interdisciplinary projects.
• Experience with continuous improvement and engineering team hiring.
• Drive to deliver ambitious schedules through unconventional and creative solutions.

Culture & Benefits

• Autonomy, ownership, and bottoms-up technical decision-making.
• Cross-functional collaboration across propulsion, manufacturing, software, avionics, and corporate teams.
• Competitive salary and equity.
• Generous PTO and sick leave, parental leave, and an annual learning and development stipend.