Lunar Mission Operations Lead Engineer

firefly; Town of Texas (WI); On-site; USD 120,000 - 170,000; Full time

Job summary

Firefly Aerospace is seeking a Mission Operations Engineer III to scale operations for lunar mission campaigns and complex multi-manifested flights. You will own the ground and flight operations framework, bridging spacecraft subsystems with real-time execution from planning through simulations.

Ideal candidates will bring 7–12+ years in aerospace, experience leading major mission phases, and strong skills in automating ground tasks, with a proven ability to mentor engineers and coordinate

Qualifications

• Bachelor's Degree in Aerospace Engineering or related field.
• 7–12+ years in aerospace with mission lifecycle focus.
• Experience leading a major mission phase (Launch, Landing, or RPO).
• Experience architecting ground-system frameworks and validation protocols.
• Proficiency in software to automate ground system tasks and process mission data.
• Strong communication to bridge technical teams and executives.
• Mentor engineers and maintain high operational standards across multiple missions.

Responsibilities

• Own end-to-end ground segment architecture and requirements.
• Define ground segment specs spanning multiple domains.
• Direct verification campaigns from site acceptance to testing.
• Own configuration control and access management for operators.
• Coordinate across ground service providers and other teams.
• Define operational standards for mission scenarios and vehicles.
• Deliver the Mission Operations Plan across launch phases.
• Lead simulations, training, and readiness activities.
• Maintain console discipline and handle anomalies during missions.
• Lead cross-functional Working Groups on technical trades.

Skills

Ground systems architecture

Mission operations

Ground system scripting

Cross-team collaboration

Mentoring engineers

Education

Bachelor's Degree in Aerospace Engineering

Job description

Firefly Aerospace is seeking a Mission Operations Engineer III to scale operations for lunar mission campaigns and complex multi-manifested flights. You will own the ground and flight operations framework, bridging spacecraft subsystems with real-time execution from planning through simulations.

Ideal candidates will bring 7–12+ years in aerospace, experience leading major mission phases, and strong skills in automating ground tasks, with a proven ability to mentor engineers and coordinate