Launch Vehicle Mechanisms Engineer II – Flight-Critical

Firefly Aerospace; Leander (TX); On-site; USD 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health, dental, vision plans

Parental leave

Relocation benefits

Educational reimbursement

Short-term disability

Flexible PTO

Job summary

Firefly Aerospace is seeking a Launch Vehicle Mechanisms Engineer II to lead design, analysis and qualification of moving mechanical assemblies for launch vehicles. The role requires defining motion, performing analyses, and documenting results while coordinating with structures, avionics, propulsion, and operations in a fast-paced program environment.

Based in north Austin, Texas, the engineer will drive hardware from concept through qualification, support production builds, and mentor junior

Qualifications

• BS degree in Mechanical, Aerospace, or related engineering field.
• 3+ years designing, analyzing, and qualifying aerospace mechanical mechanisms.
• Experience with flight-critical mechanisms (separation, deployment, actuators, latches, hinges, springs, release devices).
• Strong understanding of kinematics, tribology, tolerancing, lubrication, and wear.
• Experience with extreme environments (vibration, thermal cycling, vacuum, cryogenic).
• Proficiency with FEA or hand calculations to evaluate strength and fatigue.

Responsibilities

• Develop and qualify moving mechanical assemblies for launch vehicle programs.
• Create CAD definitions and drawings.
• Perform analyses on margins, fatigue, wear, and dynamics.
• Coordinate with cross-functional teams; support build, integration, and testing.
• Lead qualification and acceptance tests across subsystems.

Skills

Moving mechanisms

Kinematics

Tribology

Tolerance analysis

Lubrication

Vibration testing

Education

B.S. in Mechanical or Aerospace Engineering

Tools

CAD

FEA

Job description

Firefly Aerospace is seeking a Launch Vehicle Mechanisms Engineer II to lead design, analysis and qualification of moving mechanical assemblies for launch vehicles. The role requires defining motion, performing analyses, and documenting results while coordinating with structures, avionics, propulsion, and operations in a fast-paced program environment.

Based in north Austin, Texas, the engineer will drive hardware from concept through qualification, support production builds, and mentor junior