Mechanical Design Engineer (Propulsion) (Aerospace)

Location: Los Angeles, California, United States. The role involves access to ITAR-controlled information and items; the hire must be a U.S. person or otherwise eligible for a federally issued export control license.

Base salary: $100,000–$140,000 per year, plus equity.

Company

hirify.global is a Series C aerospace startup mass-producing high-power satellite platforms for missions from low Earth orbit to deep space.

What you will do

• Own the mechanical design of propulsion modules, thruster components, propellant management systems, avionics boxes, secondary structures, and potentially tanks.
• Take propulsion hardware from concept through detailed design, production, qualification, and flight demonstration.
• Create 3D models, fully dimensioned drawings, interface control documents, and engineering analyses.
• Analyze test data, troubleshoot hardware, iterate designs, and make go/no-go performance decisions.
• Develop and execute component- and system-level test plans for the plasma propulsion system.
• Coordinate propulsion vendors and suppliers while maintaining subsystem delivery schedules through development and production.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering, aerospace engineering, or a related discipline.
• 3+ years of experience in mechanical and/or electromechanical design and analysis.
• Experience with CAD or FEA software and practical application of GD&T.
• Proficiency in mechanical design, materials, thermodynamics, and fluid principles.
• Ability to personally design, build, test, troubleshoot, and iterate hardware from a blank canvas.
• Must be a U.S. person under ITAR or otherwise eligible for a federally issued export control license.

Nice to have

• Experience owning mechanical hardware or systems within an integrated engineering team.
• Experience with advanced propulsion, in-space propulsion, propulsion integration, or high-performance engines.
• Aerospace experience designing, building, and testing satellite, payload, launch vehicle, aircraft, or propulsion assemblies.
• Experience with high- and low-pressure fluidic components, feed systems, or pressurized tanks.
• Experience with structural analysis, space-environment failure modes, production tooling, or prototype and high-volume product design.

Culture & Benefits

• Work on high-power satellite platforms intended for missions from LEO to deep space.
• Paid time off and comprehensive medical, dental, and vision coverage.
• Life insurance and paid parental leave.
• Equity in the company and additional employee benefits.
• Non-traditional career paths and varied engineering backgrounds are welcomed.