Lead Spacecraft Mechanisms Engineer

ABOUT FIREFLY AEROSPACE

As an end-to-end space transportation company, Firefly Aerospace is on a mission to enable our world to launch, land, and operate in space – anywhere, anytime. Our launch vehicles, lunar landers, and orbital vehicles provide government and commercial customers with full mission services from low Earth orbit to the surface of the Moon and beyond. Headquartered in north Austin, Texas, Firefly is looking for passionate, hardworking innovators to join our team and help fuel our successful trajectory into space.

SUMMARY

Firefly is looking for a Lead Spacecraft Mechanisms Engineer to develop our state-of-the-art spacecraft mechanisms and structures throughout the product life cycle. You will be part of a highly skilled, dynamic team that will involve you in all aspects of analysis, design, fabrication, and testing. Excellent collaboration and communication skills, along with a positive attitude are critical.

RESPONSIBILITIES

• Lead a small team focused on entire hardware lifecycle for a variety of moving mechanical assemblies and structures.
• Develop and validate system requirements.
• Support configuration development, proposal efforts, and trade studies.
• Manage complex assemblies through vendor selection, hardware procurement and integration.
• Perform first-order strength and sizing calculations for your responsible mechanisms.
• Generate CAD, complex mechanical drawings with tolerance analysis using GD&T, and write component specifications for vendor procurement.
• Production Implementation
• Define qualification and acceptance test plans and procedures based on
• Demonstrate compliance with NASA, Space Force, or other relevant launch jurisdiction standards.
• Collaborate with team to develop and improve processes related to above responsibilities.

QUALIFICATIONS

Required

• B.S. degree in aerospace or mechanical and 4+ years demonstrated professional experience in aerospace or related mechanical engineering field
• Strong design and integration skills using 3-D CAD software (Siemens NX preferable)
• Ability to effectively work in a multi-discipline team and provide technical guidance and insight
• Experience with industry FEA/FEM tools like Nastran, ANSYS, FEMAP, etc.
• Experience designing and analyzing composite and metallic structures for vibration environments.
• Excellent understanding of first principles from variety of engineering disciplines (mechanical, structural dynamics, materials, fluids/thermodynamics, electrical)
• Drive for independent learning and keeping up to date on latest industry standards.

Desired

• M.S. degree in aerospace or mechanical engineering and/or 5+ years of relevant experience
• Working knowledge of composite manufacturing methods, material selection, and testing.
• Experience developing physical tests to validate analysis and evaluate assumptions
• Familiarity with aerospace standard structural analysis methods (Bruhn, Niu, Roark, Shigley’s, etc)
• Previous experience in launch vehicle or spacecraft mechanisms.
• Working knowledge of at least one computer/scripting language at the professional or hobbyist level.
• Familiarity with NASA General Environmental Verification Standard (GEVS) for GSFC Flight Programs and Projects

Firefly offers outstanding benefits for our employees, including generous health, dental and vision plans with low plan deductibles, parental leave, educational reimbursement, short term disability, and flexible PTO options.

To conform to U.S. Government space technology export regulations, including the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) you must be a U.S. citizen, lawful permanent resident of the U.S., protected individual as defined by 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3), or eligible to obtain the required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State.

Firefly Aerospace, Inc. is an Equal Opportunity Employer; employment with Firefly is governed based on merit, competence and qualifications and will not be influenced in any manner by race, color, religion, gender, national origin/ethnicity, veteran status, disability status, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, mental or physical disability or any other legally protected status.