GNC Engineer II, Hypersonics

Firefly Aerospace, Inc.; Austin (TX); On-site; USD 100,000 - 150,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Unlimited PTO for exempt employees

3-month sabbatical for every 5 years

Medical, dental, vision, life, and-dis

12 weeks paid maternity leave

4 weeks paid spouse leave

Employee-ownership with stock bonuses

4% Safe Harbor 401(k) matching

$10k home purchase bonus in Cedar Park

Dog friendly workplace

Job summary

Firefly Aerospace, Inc. is seeking a GNC Engineer to design, analyze, and operate GNC systems for our launch vehicles. You will develop GNC software, run simulations, and support mission operations in a fast-paced environment.

You will enhance your expertise across ascent guidance, attitude control, and real-time flight operations while contributing to continuous GNC improvements and documentation.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in aerospace engineering, mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, physics, mathematics, computer science, or related field.

Responsibilities

• Develop and validate GNC software to ensure successful launch vehicle mission execution

Skills

Python

Communication

Problem solving

Team collaboration

Numerical simulation

Education

Bachelor's degree in aerospace/related field

Advanced degree in aerospace/related field (MS/PhD)

Tools

Git

CI/CD workflows

Linux

Flight software frameworks

Real-time/embedded systems

Job description

Life at Firefly

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.

Talk about being in the right place at the right ...

Talk about being in the right place at the right ...

On this day 57 years ago, Neil Armstrong and Buzz ...

On this day 57 years ago, Neil Armstrong and Buzz ...

709 4

We just reached another mile marker as we prepare ...

We just reached another mile marker as we prepare ...

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.

Passion

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.

Space for You

• 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

Space for Your Career

• $10k/year towards trade school or college
• Ongoing coaching to advance leadership skills

Space for Your Future

• Employee-ownership with stock bonuses
• 4% Safe Harbor 401(k) matching
• $10k bonus for home purchase in Cedar Park, Texas

Job Openings

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.

SUMMARY

As a GNC Engineer at Firefly, you will design, analyse, and operate the GNC systems of operational launch vehicles. In this role, you will develop GNC and simulation software, perform dynamic analyses, and support mission operations while continuing to build breadth across core GNC competencies. This position offers hands‑on experience with launch vehicle ascent guidance, attitude control systems, and real‑time flight operations in a fast‑paced environment. You will deepen your technical capabilities and refine your desired career trajectory, taking ownership of system elements and software tools as you grow toward a senior GNC role at Firefly.

RESPONSIBILITIES

• Develop and validate GNC software to ensure successful launch vehicle mission execution
• Tune and configure attitude determination and control algorithms for all phases of launch vehicle flight
• Perform 6DOF dynamic analysis of nominal and dispersed ascent trajectories
• Develop and maintain simulation models for sensors, actuators, and environmental effects
• Create tools to automate workflows, process flight data, and generate technical reports
• Conduct stability analysis, sensitivity studies, and hardware-in-the-loop testing of GNC systems under nominal and off-nominal flight conditions
• Interface with cross-discipline teams to integrate GNC software with vehicle hardware
• Serve as a GNC console operator for launch operations and perform post-flight analysis to improve vehicle models
• Author technical documentation and analysis reports that communicate GNC concepts and results to diverse audiences
• Build proficiency across core GNC competencies while contributing to continuous improvement of GNC processes and tools

QUALIFICATIONS

Required

• Bachelor's degree in aerospace engineering, mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, physics, mathematics, computer science, or related field
• 2-5 years of professional experience in aerospace guidance, navigation, and control, or related technical discipline
• Understanding of launch vehicle flight mechanics and attitude dynamics
• Familiarity with numerical simulation techniques, integration methods, and modeling of dynamic systems
• Experience with Python for scripting, data analysis, and visualization
• Familiarity with C++ for real‑time or flight‑critical applications
• Understanding of software development best practices including version control (Git), code documentation, and testing
• Strong written and verbal communication skills
• Advanced degree (master's or PhD) in aerospace engineering or related field with focus on GNC, flight mechanics, or controls
• Experience supporting launch vehicle GNC across development, integration, and flight
• Proficiency in C++ for embedded systems or real‑time applications
• Knowledge of state estimation techniques including Kalman filtering, sensor fusion, and covariance analysis
• Knowledge of numerical optimization and targeting methods applied to trajectory design
• Familiarity with modern flight software frameworks and real‑time operating systems
• Familiarity with CI/CD workflows and automated testing practices
• Experience with Linux development environments and command‑line tools
• Exposure to spaceflight mission operations or launch campaigns
• 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.