ADCS Engineer III (Controls), Elytra

Firefly Aerospace Inc.; Austin (TX); On-site; USD 100,000 - 130,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Unlimited PTO for exempt employees

3-month sabbatical for every 5 years of service

Medical, dental, vision, life, and disability insurance

$10k bonus for home purchase in Cedar Park, Texas

Job summary

Firefly Aerospace Inc. in Austin, Texas, seeks a Senior ADCS Engineer to design and implement advanced control systems and autonomous flight software for operational spacecraft. Candidates should have a Bachelor's degree in aerospace or related fields, 5-10 years experience in spacecraft ADCS systems, and proficiency in C++. Benefits include unlimited PTO, sabbatical leaves, and employee ownership options. This position requires a U.S. citizenship or lawful permanent resident status due to export regulations.

Qualifications

• 5-10 years of experience in spacecraft ADCS systems.
• Expertise in real-time software development using C++.
• Experience architecting and implementing control systems for operational spacecraft.

Responsibilities

• Design and tune spacecraft attitude control software.
• Implement control techniques for critical mission phases.
• Support hardware-in-the-loop testing and system integration.

Skills

Advanced control techniques

Real-time software development using C++

Attitude dynamics and control theory

Excellent communication and presentation skills

Education

Bachelor's degree in aerospace engineering or related field

Master's degree or PhD in a related field

Tools

C++

Python

Git

Job description

SUMMARY

As a Senior ADCS Engineer specializing in controls and autonomy at Firefly, you will design and implement advanced control systems and autonomous flight software for operational spacecraft. In this role, you will develop and tune attitude control software, support hardware‑in‑the‑loop testing and system integration, and provide technical leadership while collaborating with multidisciplinary teams. This position combines advanced control theory, real‑time embedded systems development, and hands‑on flight operations support while mentoring junior engineers in a fast‑paced operational environment.

RESPONSIBILITIES

• Design, analyze, and tune spacecraft attitude control software to ensure accurate pointing across all mission phases
• Implement control techniques for critical mission phases using reaction wheels, control moment gyros, magnetic torque rods, and thruster systems
• Develop control systems accounting for complex spacecraft dynamics including structural flex modes, propellant slosh, gimbal dynamics, and control structure interaction
• Establish technical standards and validation methodologies for control system design, software development, and hardware‑in‑the‑loop testing
• Conduct stability analysis, sensitivity studies, and performance optimization for control systems under nominal and off‑nominal conditions
• Support hardware‑in‑the‑loop test campaigns for integrated ADCS systems including control algorithm validation, flight software verification, and system‑level performance testing
• Drive resolution of complex ADCS challenges requiring deep technical expertise and rapid problem‑solving
• Provide technical direction on system architecture and serve as subject matter expert for spacecraft control
• Mentor junior engineers in control theory and flight software development
• Author technical documentation and analysis reports that communicate ADCS concepts and results to diverse audiences
• Interface with cross‑discipline teams to integrate control software with spacecraft hardware
• Serve as an ADCS console operator for spacecraft operations and perform post‑mission analysis to improve spacecraft models
• Champion continuous improvement initiatives for ADCS processes, tools, and operational efficiency

QUALIFICATIONS

Required

• Bachelor's degree in aerospace engineering, mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, computer science, or related field
• 5‑10 years of experience in spacecraft ADCS systems with significant depth in attitude control system design or flight software development
• Advanced knowledge of attitude dynamics and control theory, including rotational dynamics, attitude representations, control moment generation, and stability analysis
• Strong understanding of classical control theory and frequency domain analysis techniques
• Expertise in real‑time software development using C++ for mission‑critical applications
• Experience developing high‑fidelity actuator models and attitude control system testbedsProficiency in hardware‑in‑the‑loop testing and requirement verification for mission‑critical systems
• Understanding of software development best practices including version control (Git), code documentation, and testing
• Excellent communication and presentation skills
• Master's degree or PhD in aerospace engineering, mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, applied mathematics, or related field
• Experience architecting and implementing control systems for operational spacecraft from development through mission operations
• Expertise in advanced control techniques such as nonlinear control methods, optimal control, model predictive control, or adaptive control applied to spacecraft applications
• Hands‑on experience with spacecraft actuator systems including reaction wheels, control moment gyros, magnetic torque rods, and thruster systems
• Advanced knowledge of state estimation techniques including Kalman filtering, sensor fusion, and covariance analysis
• Advanced knowledge of numerical methods for control law tuning, root‑solving, and parameter optimization
• Experience with modern flight software frameworks and real‑time operating systems
• Software engineering expertise with proficiency in development practices including version control, code review, testing, documentation, and CI/CD workflows
• Proficiency in Python for scripting, data analysis, and automation
• Working knowledge of spacecraft systems and mission operations
• Proven ability to develop junior engineers while managing technical responsibilities
• Track record of thought leadership through publications, presentations, or contributions to industry state‑of‑the‑art

BENEFITS

• Unlimited PTO for exempt employees
• 3‑month sabbatical for every 5 years of service
• Medical, dental, vision, life, and disability insurance
• Mental health services
• Paid military leave
• 12 weeks paid maternity leave
• 4 weeks paid spouse leave
• $20k towards family planning: fertility, surrogacy, adoption
• Dog friendly workplace
• $10k/year towards trade school or college
• Ongoing coaching to advance leadership skills
• Employee‑ownership with stock bonuses
• 4% Safe Harbor 401(k) matching
• $10k bonus for home purchase in Cedar Park, Texas

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

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.