Propulsion Engineer II - Hardware and Bus Systems (Spacecraft Propulsion)

Location: On-site in El Segundo, California, United States. U.S. work authorization and U.S. person status are required for access to export-controlled technology.

Salary: $119,543–$152,749 per year, plus potential stock options and/or long-term cash awards.

Company

hirify.global develops commercial space infrastructure, including in-orbit pharmaceutical processing payloads, reentry capsules, heat shields, and satellite buses, with vehicles built, integrated, and tested in-house.

What you will do

• Own and maintain the spacecraft propulsion system technical baseline, including P&IDs and system-level documentation.
• Design, analyze, build, and test satellite bus propulsion flight hardware and fluid-system components.
• Execute propulsion system upgrades for operational vehicles and contribute to future vehicle architectures, requirements, roadmaps, and milestones.
• Generate propulsion performance analyses covering propellant budgets, pressure ladders, component sizing, and structural and thermal limits.
• Build Python scripts and spreadsheet tools to automate analysis and test-data review workflows.
• Support mechanical design, FEA, documentation, ground and flight procedures, in-flight operations, nonconformance disposition, and anomaly investigations.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Aerospace Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or a related discipline; equivalent professional experience may be considered.
• 3+ years of hands-on experience defining, designing, building, and testing propulsion fluid systems for spacecraft or launch vehicles.
• Working knowledge of pressurized components, tubing, fittings, seals, valves, and instrumentation, with the ability to read P&IDs.
• Proficiency with CAD tools such as CATIA, SolidWorks, or NX, and PLM software.
• Experience authoring or executing operational procedures for ground tests or flight campaigns and driving assigned technical work to resolution.
• Must be authorized to work in the United States and qualify as a U.S. person under ITAR requirements.

Nice to have

• Experience with spacecraft or launch vehicle propulsion architectures, including monopropellant, bipropellant, or cold gas systems.
• Python or spreadsheet automation for propulsion analysis and data review, plus structural analysis with ANSYS, NASTRAN, or equivalent FEA tools.
• Experience with GD&T, ASME Y14.5, spacecraft-grade propellants, 1D fluid modeling tools, or test, launch-site, and in-flight operations.
• Strong technical communication skills for work instructions, engineering specifications, procedures, and engineering memos.

Culture & Benefits

• Full-time employees receive flexible PTO and 12 paid holidays.
• Company-paid medical, dental, and vision insurance, with FSA and employer-matched HSA options.
• Parental leave, family-building support, wellness reimbursement, and sponsored One Medical memberships.
• 401(k) plan with a 6% immediately vested employer match and equity incentives.
• Relocation support may be available for new hires, with meals, team events, and complimentary EV charging provided on-site.