Terrestrial Ground Support Equipment Engineer - Automation & Python (Aerospace)

Location: On-site in El Segundo, California, United States. Must be a U.S. person authorized to work in the United States due to ITAR-controlled technology.

Salary: $109,000–$153,000 annually, plus eligible stock options and/or long-term cash incentives.

Company

hirify.global develops commercial space infrastructure, including in-orbit pharmaceutical processing systems, reentry capsules, heat shields, and satellite buses.

What you will do

• Design, build, maintain, and own ground support equipment and test systems for flight hardware qualification and manufacturing.
• Integrate thermal vacuum chambers, ovens, chillers, pressure systems, data acquisition hardware, and precision instrumentation.
• Develop hirify.global’s internal PLC framework and Beckhoff EtherCAT tooling.
• Contribute to real-time control architecture decisions, including PLC-based TwinCAT 3 and Linux-based approaches.
• Design electrical systems, build cabinets, wire panels, and commission systems end to end.
• Partner with propulsion, avionics, GNC, and manufacturing teams to deliver reliable test infrastructure.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or a related field.
• At least 2 years of industry experience in test automation, controls, or industrial automation.
• Experience integrating industrial hardware through EtherCAT, Modbus TCP/RTU, RS-232/485, or similar protocols.
• Experience with a modern PLC ecosystem, ideally Beckhoff TwinCAT 3 and IEC 61131-3 structured text.
• Ability to write control software, design electrical panels, wire cabinets, and debug hardware.
• U.S. person status and authorization to work in the United States are required for access to export-controlled technology.

Nice to have

• Python orchestration and experience choosing between real-time PLC code and higher-level control software.
• Advanced EtherCAT, TwinCAT 3, deterministic hard real-time control, or custom control framework experience.
• Experience with Grafana, InfluxDB, aerospace testing, environmental qualification, propulsion test stands, or high-pressure fluid systems.
• Experience with spacecraft qualification standards, safety-related control systems, or risk reduction.

Culture & Benefits

• Fast-paced startup environment with end-to-end ownership and shifting priorities.
• Flexible PTO and 12 paid holidays.
• Company-paid medical, dental, and vision insurance with FSA and employer-matched HSA options.
• 12 weeks of parental leave, family-building support, wellness reimbursement, and sponsored One Medical memberships.
• 401(k) with a 6% immediately vested employer match, equity incentives, and relocation support if needed.
• Daily lunch, twice-weekly dinner, team events, EV charging, and other workplace perks.