Mechanical Engineering Lead - Avionics Hardware

Front Door Defense; Cedar Park (TX); On-site; USD 120,000 - 160,000; Full time

Job summary

Firefly Aerospace in Cedar Park, Texas seeks a Mechanical Engineering Lead for Avionics to drive rugged electronic packaging from concept to qualification, leading a multidisciplinary team.

You will oversee thermal, vibration, EMI/EMC analyses and test campaigns, drive CAD models and drawings, and present design reviews to leadership. Mentoring junior engineers and close collaboration with PCB design will be essential to ensure flight readiness.

Qualifications

• BSc in Mechanical or Aerospace engineering required.
• 5+ years designing high-reliability electronics packaging for aerospace/defense.
• 3D CAD and GD&T proficiency with NX CAD.

Responsibilities

• Lead design and architecture of ruggedized electronics packaging for space hardware.
• Perform thermal analyses for space environments and optimize thermal management.
• Conduct vibration, shock, and TVAC testing planning and review.
• Oversee test fixtures and ground support equipment design.
• Lead design reviews (PDR/CDR) and communicate with leadership.
• Collaborate with PCB team on mounting strategies and tolerances.
• Mentor junior engineers and establish best practices.

Skills

3D CAD design

NX CAD

GD&T

Thermal analyses

Vibration analysis

EMI/EMC

Leadership

Mentoring

Education

BSc in Mechanical or Aerospace Engineering

Tools

NX

ANSYS

Job description

Mechanical Engineering Lead - Avionics

Lead avionics packaging design from concept through qualification testing with a multidisciplinary team

Location: Cedar Park, Texas

About The Role

Firefly Aerospace Avionics Mechanical Engineer

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.

Responsibilities

• Lead design and architecture of ruggedized electronics packaging and structural components for PCB assemblies used in launch vehicles 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.

Qualifications

Required

• 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.

Desired

• 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.