Fluids Engineer III

Firefly Aerospace; Town of Texas (WI); Hybrid; USD 120,000 - 150,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health plan

Dental plan

Vision plan

Parental leave

Education reimbursement

Short-term disability

Flexible PTO

Job summary

Firefly Aerospace is seeking an experienced FGSE Engineer to own the complete lifecycle of critical fluid systems at launch sites, test stands, and production facilities. You will design, analyze, and build complex fluid systems including cryogenics and high-pressure gas, coordinating with technicians and cross-functional teams.

You will lead design reviews, mentor junior engineers, and travel to sites up to 30% to support builds and activations across the Alpha, Eclipse, Elytra, and Blue Ghost

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in mechanical, aerospace or equivalent.
• 5–10 years of experience with fluid systems in design, test or operations.
• Thorough understanding of fluid dynamics and thermodynamics.
• Experience with valves, regulators, transducers, tubing, tanks and pressurized hardware.
• Experience with design and testing of pressurized components and systems (valves, piping, pumps).
• Proficiency with manufacturing, fabrication, and quality control for fluid components.

Responsibilities

• Design, analyze, and build test stand and launch pad fluid systems (incompressible, cryogenic, high-pressure gas).
• Own full design cycle: schematics, P&IDs, BOMs, CAD drawings, procurement, drawings.
• Collaborate with technicians to build and troubleshoot designs.
• Lead internal and external design reviews and readiness reviews.
• Mentor early-career engineers and develop tools/processes.
• Travel to test/launch sites up to 30% for build and activation.

Skills

Fluid design

Pneumatics

Hydraulics

HVAC systems

P&IDs

Siemens NX

CAD drafting

Project management

Travel 30%

Cryogenics

Education

Bachelor's degree (Mechanical/Aerospace)

Advanced degree

Tools

REFPROP/GFSSP

Fluid modeling tools

Job description

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.

SUMMARY

As a Fluids Ground Support Equipment (FGSE) Engineer at Firefly, you'll own the complete lifecycle of critical fluid systems at our launch sites, test stands, and production facilities. You'll work in a dynamic and collaborative environment designing and building large complex fluid systems, including incompressible, cryogenics, propellants, and high-pressure gas systems. You’ll be solving real-world problems in real-time alongside skilled technicians, welders, and cross-functional teams. From architecture trades and detailed designs through fabrication, installation, and activation, you'll be the technical decision-maker ensuring Firefly's launch sites and test stands meet the current and future needs for each of Firefly’s programs.

This role offers exposure across Firefly's entire fleet - Alpha, Eclipse, Elytra, and Blue Ghost - giving you an unparalleled breadth of experiences and challenges as you help define the next generation of test and launch infrastructure.

RESPONSIBILITIES

• Design, analyze, and build test stand and launch pad fluid systems, including incompressible, cryogenic, and high-pressure gas systems
• Own the full design cycle of your fluid systems, including generating schematics and P&IDs, sizing components, generating BOMs, creating CAD, procuring hardware, and generating drawings
• Work directly with technicians and welders to schedule, prepare, and build your designs and fix real-world problems
• Participate in and lead internal design reviews, operational readiness reviews, and represent Firefly during external design reviews
• Mentor early career engineers on the team and further develop engineering tools and processes
• Travel to test and launch sites, as required, to support build and commissioning of new and upgraded fluid system

QUALIFICATIONS

Required

• Bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering, aerospace engineering, or equivalent
• 5-10 years of recent experience in a professional setting outside the classroom with fluid systems, pneumatics, hydraulics, or HVAC systems in a design, assembly, test, or operations capacity
• Thorough understanding of fluid dynamics and thermodynamics
• Solid understanding of fluid components such as valves, regulators, pressure transducers, tubing, tanks, pressurized hardware, seals, and instrumentation
• Experience with fluid system subcomponent or pressurized component development, design, or testing (such as valves, regulators, piping systems, pumps, etc..)
• Working knowledge of manufacturing, fabrication, integration & quality control relevant to fluid components (such as machining, inspection, welding, assembly, testing, etc.)
• Demonstrated ability to do clean sheet designs of pressurization systems, propellant systems, or other complex multidisciplinary systems
• Experience creating P&IDs, performing fluid system sizing, fluid component and instrumentation selection, and pressurized system design
• Experience using fluids analysis tools such as REFPROP, GFSSP or other computer-based fluid dynamic modeling
• Proficient with 3D & 2D CAD software packages such as Siemens NX
• Capable of balancing detailed design tasks with higher level project management style tasks, including budgeting, scheduling, and communications
• Able to travel in support of GSE build and activation up to 30% of the time
• Advanced degree in mechanical, aerospace, or equivalent field
• Direct hands-on experience building, troubleshooting, and/or operating complex fluid or mechanical systems
• Cryogenic system design and/or operational experience
• Hypergolic system design and/or operational experience
• Experience working in an aerospace, R&D, or oil & gas environment.
• Familiarity with ASME, NASA, and AFSPCMAN standards related to fluid system design, such as ASME B31.3, ASME BPVC Section VIII, and/or AFSPCMAN 91-710
• Direct experience with design and build of ground systems (GSE) or related fluid systems including, but not limited to test environments, fluid or gas conditioning/storage, manufacturing processes, and compressible gases

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.