Mechanical Engineering Lead - Avionics

Firefly Aerospace, Inc.; Leander (TX); Presencial; USD 90.000 - 150.000; Jornada completa

Ventajas ofrecidas por este puesto de trabajo

Health insurance

Dental insurance

Vision insurance

Relocation assistance

Educational reimbursement

Short-term disability

Flexible PTO

Descripción de la vacante

Firefly Aerospace, Inc. seeks an Avionics Mechanical Engineer to own the design of rugged electronics packaging for launch vehicles and spacecraft.

You will lead architecture, perform analyses, and mentor junior engineers, ensuring performance under harsh space environments. You will collaborate across multidisciplinary teams, drive CAD and documentation, and participate in design reviews, qualification tests, and production support, delivering high‑reliability avionics hardware for space

Formación

• BS in Mechanical or Aerospace engineering is required.
• 5+ years of experience designing high-reliability electronics packaging.
• Proficient with 3D CAD and GD&T.
• Experience in aerospace hardware development is preferred.

Responsabilidades

• Lead design and architecture of ruggedized electronics packaging and structural components for PCB assemblies in launch/space applications.
• Design and optimize complex electro–mechanical assemblies for extreme thermal and dynamic environments, EMI/EMC, and radiation resistance.
• Perform and review thermal analyses (steady-state, transient, thermal cycling) of electronics in space.
• Perform and review modal, random vibration, and shock analyses to ensure structural integrity during launch.
• Oversee the design of high‑reliability test fixturing and ground support equipment (GSE).
• Define, execute, and lead vibration, shock, and TVAC environmental test campaigns for product qualification.
• Drive CAD models, drawings, and documentation; lead design reviews (PDR, CDR).
• Mentor junior and mid-level engineers and establish design best practices.

Conocimientos

3D CAD design

GD&T

Electro-mechanical assemblies

Thermal analysis

Mentoring

Educación

Bachelor of Science in Mechanical or Aerospace Engineering

Herramientas

NX CAD

ANSYS

Descripción del empleo

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.

What does SciTec bring to the Firefly family?
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What does SciTec bring to the Firefly family?
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Peep our Elytra orbiter being assembled in the ...

Peep our Elytra orbiter being assembled in the ...

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Start your week with another Manufacturing Minute! ...

Start your week with another Manufacturing Minute! ...

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This World Space Week, remember to look up and ...

This World Space Week, remember to look up and ...

The engine powering Alpha's first stage is truly ...

The engine powering Alpha's first stage is truly ...

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More cleanroom space. More spacecraft in ...

More cleanroom space. More spacecraft in ...

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Our Values

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.

Accountability

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

Space for Your Family

• 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
  • 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 that enables our world to launch, land, and operate in space – anywhere, anytime. As the partner of choice for critical space missions, Firefly is the only commercial company to launch a satellite to orbit with 24-hour notice and the only company to achieve a successful Moon landing. Our launch vehicles, lunar landers, and orbital vehicles provide government and commercial customers with full mission services from low Earth orbit to the Moon and beyond. Headquartered in north Austin, Texas, Firefly is looking for passionate, hardworking innovators to join our team and help fuel our successful trajectory into space.

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

Firefly Avionics Mechanical Engineers leverage their creative design and deep industry experience to develop electronics enclosures, mechanical components, integration hardware, tooling, and test fixtures for launch vehicles. As the lead, you will be expected to own complex avionics subsystems, lead design architectures, and mentor junior engineers. Qualified candidates will be responsible for the full product lifecycle—including advanced design, rigorous analysis, hands‑on build/integration, and qualification testing. You will be a key technical voice within the avionics team and will collaborate heavily with multidisciplinary teams across the company to ensure mission success.

RESPONSIBILITIES

• Lead design and architecture of ruggedized electronics packaging and structural components for PCB assemblies used in launch vehicle and spacecraft applications.
• Design and optimize complex electro‑mechanical assemblies for extreme thermal and dynamic environments, EMI/EMC compatibility, and radiation resistance.
• Perform and review advanced thermal analyses (steady‑state, transient, and thermal cycling) of electronics in space environments.
• Perform and review modal, random vibration, and shock analyses of electronic assemblies to ensure structural integrity during launch.
• Oversee the design of high‑reliability test fixturing and ground support equipment (GSE) for launch vehicle and spacecraft electronics.
• Define, execute, and lead vibration, shock, and thermal vacuum (TVAC) environmental test campaigns for product qualification and acceptance.
• Drive the creation of CAD models, engineering drawings, and technical documentation; lead formal design reviews (PDR, CDR) and present to leadership.
• Partner closely with the PCB design team to establish mounting strategies, keep‑outs, tolerance stack‑ups, connector placement, and advanced thermal management solutions.
• Mentor and guide junior and mid‑level engineers, establishing design best practices and reviewing their technical work.

Basic Qualifications:

• Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or a related technical field.
• 5+ years of professional industry experience designing high‑reliability electronics packaging and electro‑mechanical assemblies (preferably in aerospace, defense, or automotive).
• 3D CAD design (NX preferred) and geometric dimensioning and tolerancing.
• Proven track record of taking complex electro‑mechanical products from initial concept through environmental qualification and production.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Proficiency with NX CAD and finite element analysis (FEA) tools such as ANSYS.
• Experience with multi‑layer PCBA enclosure design, including complex thermal interface materials (TIMs) and CTE analysis.
• Strong understanding of structural and thermal calculations, including vent analyses, EMI/EMC shielding, worst‑case tolerance stack‑ups, bolt pre‑loads, and Steinberg PCB solder joint fatigue life predictions.
• Systems‑level understanding of launch vehicle architectures, instrumentation interfaces, and avionics master networks.
• Expert knowledge of manufacturing methodologies (5‑axis CNC machining, sheet metal, additive manufacturing) and material/plating selection for spaceflight environments.
• Experience interfacing with external vendors and manufacturing partners to resolve DFM issues and expedite production.

Firefly offers outstanding benefits for our employees, including generous health, dental and vision plans with low plan deductibles, parental leave, relocation benefits, 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.