Flight Dynamics Engineer III (Trajectory), Blue Ghost
Firefly Aerospace, Inc.
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Benefits offered by this job
Job summary
Firefly Aerospace, Inc. seeks a Senior Flight Dynamics Engineer to design and optimize trajectories and maneuver sequences for missions spanning LEO and cislunar space.
You will develop targeting algorithms, create error budgets, and act as a flight dynamics operator while mentoring junior engineers in a fast-paced environment. Join a team enabling reliable, repeatable space access from Austin, TX, with opportunities to impact mission design, analysis, and cross‑functional collaboration using
Qualifications
- Bachelor's degree in aerospace engineering, physics, mathematics, or related field.
- 5–8 years of experience in spacecraft flight dynamics with mission design or maneuver planning.
- Experience supporting operational spacecraft missions through multiple mission phases.
- Advanced understanding of orbital mechanics theory and applications.
- Understanding of spacecraft attitude control and its impact on maneuver execution accuracy.
- Strong understanding of targeting and optimization methods.
- Knowledge of estimation theory and uncertainty modeling.
- Python proficiency and Linux experience.
- Proficiency with STK for trajectory design (and related tools).
Responsibilities
- Design and optimize spacecraft trajectories and maneuver sequences for operational missions (LEO to cislunar).
- Develop targeting algorithms and error budgets; mentor junior engineers.
- Interface with cross‑functional teams to translate mission designs into executable operations.
- Create maneuver plans and verification procedures; perform validation and testing.
- Author technical reports and mission analyses for diverse stakeholders.
Skills
Education
Tools
Job description
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At Firefly, we’re focused on making space attainable for everyone – including you! Each team member’s passion, dedication, and innovative ideas have a direct impact on fueling our successful trajectory into space. And there’s no shortage of meaningful projects to work on at Firefly. With launch, lunar, and orbital vehicles, Firefly has a diverse line of business with opportunities to get hands‑on experience launching rockets, operating in space, and landing on the Moon.
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Headquartered in the Lone Star State, Firefly’s hardworking team reflects Texas’ GO BIG culture in everything we do. We build big, achieve big, and dream big. We’re building launch vehicles and spacecraft to provide rapid, reliable space access. We’ve achieved some incredible wins, including the first successful commercial Moon landing. And we’re dreaming bigger than this planet with ambitions to Mars, Venus, and beyond. Our core values are what drive us along the way.
Fireflies believe in perseverance, responsiveness, and mentoring others with a focus on inspiring a better future.
Fireflies act with integrity and take ownership of our actions, commitments, decisions, and outcomes.
Fireflies work in alignment across teams and communicate clearly with mutual respect for one another.
Fireflies deliver high-quality work through technical rigor and timely disciplined execution for our customers.
We take care of our Fireflies with some of the best benefits in the industry. Our mission to make space for everyone starts with our employees and allowing them to make space for their family, their career, and their future.
- 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
From launch technicians to propulsion engineers, Firefly has open roles across the company. We’re looking for passionate, bright innovators to join our team and help make space an achievable dream for everyone.
Firefly Aerospace is a space and defense technology company on a mission to reliably and repeatedly launch, land, and operate space systems from Earth to the Moon and beyond. As the partner of choice for critical space missions, Firefly is the first commercial company to launch a satellite to orbit with 24-hour notice and the first company to achieve a successful Moon landing. Headquartered in north Austin, Texas, Firefly is looking for passionate, hardworking innovators to join our team and help fuel our successful trajectory into space.
As a Senior Flight Dynamics Engineer specializing in trajectory and maneuver design at Firefly, you will design and optimize spacecraft trajectories and maneuver sequences for operational missions spanning LEO and cislunar space. In this role, you will develop targeting algorithms, create error budgets, and serve as a flight dynamics operator while collaborating with cross‑functional teams to translate mission designs into executable operations. This position combines advanced mission design with hands‑on operational support while mentoring junior engineers in a fast‑paced, mission‑critical environment.
- Optimize spacecraft trajectories to satisfy mission requirements while balancing delta‑V budgets, mission duration, and payload constraints
- Design and maintain mission designs from the conceptual phase through the end of spacecraft mission operations
- Develop algorithms to target maneuvers that achieve spacecraft mission objectives
- Create maneuver error budgets and perform sensitivity analysis to assess robustness to execution uncertainties
- Formulate and analyze contingency maneuver plans and abort scenarios for off‑nominal conditions
- Interface with cross‑discipline teams to translate maneuver plans into executable command sequences and operational procedures
- Serve as a flight dynamics operator for spacecraft missions and perform maneuver reconstruction to improve spacecraft models
- Perform verification and validation of flight dynamics models and software using analytical solutions, benchmarks, flight data, and unit tests
- Author technical documentation and analysis reports that communicate flight dynamics concepts and results to diverse audiences
- Bachelor's degree in aerospace engineering, physics, mathematics, or related field
- 5-8 years of experience in spacecraft flight dynamics with significant depth in mission design or maneuver planning
- Experience supporting operational spacecraft missions through multiple mission phases
- Advanced understanding of orbital mechanics theory and applications
- Understanding of spacecraft attitude control and its impact on maneuver execution accuracy
- Strong understanding of targeting and optimization methods
- Knowledge of estimation theory and uncertainty modeling
- Experience in software development and modeling/simulation for spaceflight applications
- Working knowledge of Python and Linux
- Proficiency with one or more commercial trajectory design software tools (STK, FreeFlyer, GMAT, or similar)
- Excellent communication and presentation skills
- Advanced degree (master's or PhD) in aerospace engineering, physics, mathematics, or related field
- Expert‑level proficiency in STK for spacecraft trajectory design
- Python proficiency and experience with JPL's MONTE software suite
- Software engineering expertise including skills in version control (Git), code review, automated testing, documentation, and CI/CD workflows
- Comprehensive knowledge of spacecraft subsystems and their impact on trajectory design and maneuver planning
- Proven ability to mentor and develop junior engineers while managing technical responsibilities
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.
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