Mechanical GSE Engineer I

Firefly Aerospace; Briggs (TX); On-site; USD 65,000 - 85,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health, dental and vision plans

Parental leave

Educational/relocation reimbursement

Short term disability

Flexible PTO

Job summary

Firefly Aerospace, based in north Austin, Texas, seeks a Mechanical Ground Support Equipment (GSE) Design Engineer to help develop launch infrastructure and tooling for the fleet of vehicles. You will design equipment, perform analyses, and collaborate with manufacturing and launch teams to bring hardware to life.

The role emphasizes hands-on design with 0–2 years of experience, CAD (Siemens NX), FEA, GD&T, and ASME/ASTM standards, with travel up to 25% to support GSE activations at Firefly

Qualifications

• Bachelors degree in Mechanical Engineering or related field.
• 0–2 years focused hands-on design experience in mechanical/structural systems.
• Strong understanding of statics, solid mechanics, and materials.
• Proficiency with CAD, preferably Siemens NX.
• Experience with structural analysis using FEA and hand calculations.
• Knowledge of tolerancing, ASME/ASTM standards and GD&T.
• Experience with fabrication, welding, machining and assembly practices.
• Ability to balance detailed design with project management tasks (budgeting/scheduling).
• Willingness to travel up to 25% for GSE activations.

Responsibilities

• Design and own material handling equipment and launch infrastructure projects.
• Lead cradle-to-grave project activities: requirements, design, analysis, procurement, fabrication, testing and activation.
• Create 3D CAD models of components and assemblies.
• Perform structural analysis via FEA and hand calculations.
• Produce built-to-print drawings using GD&T per company standards.
• Host design reviews with internal customers and stakeholders.
• Coordinate with manufacturing, fabricators, welders, and vendors.
• Develop and execute structural proof and activation test plans.
• Document design intent, usability, and maintenance workflows.

Skills

CAD (Siemens NX)

FEA

GD&T

ASME/ASTM standards

Welding/fabrication experience

Ground Support Equipment design

Project management

Travel up to 25%

Education

Bachelors Degree in Mechanical Engineering or related field

Tools

Siemens NX

Job description

Career Opportunities with Firefly Aerospace

Come be a part of the 21 st Century Space Race!

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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 Mechanical Ground Support Equipment (GSE) Design Engineer, you will have the opportunity to leverage your creative background and expertise to help develop Firefly’s next generation of launch sites, test stands, and material handling equipment, supporting Firefly’s entire fleet of launch vehicles and spacecraft. Your primary job is designing – but the responsibilities flow into areas of project management, manufacturing, and test. A great Mechanical GSE Design Engineer 1) loves to solve clean sheet mechanical & structural design problems using first principles of engineering 2) loves the challenge of bringing hardware to life and 3) thrives when there is a balance of collaboration and independent work.

RESPONSIBILITIES

• Serve as the responsible engineer and primary designer for material handling equipment - including vehicle production tooling, transportation fixtures, lift fixtures , test stands, and launch infrastructure.
• Own the projects from cradle to grave - through requirements generation, design, structural analysis, material/component selection, procurement, fabrication, testing and activation.
• Develop 3D CAD models of bespoke components and assemblies.
• Perform structural analysis on components, weldments, & assemblies using FEA & hand calculations.
• Draft built-to-print drawings of parts, weldments, and assemblies using GD&T and company drawing standards.
• Host design reviews for internal customers & stakeholders to receive and incorporate feedback into designs.
• Work with manufacturing engineers, fabricators, welders, and 3rd party vendors to coordinate, execute, and troubleshoot builds.
• Develop & execute structural proof test plans & activation test plans to validate the as-built design prior to customer hand off.
• Produce design documentation to communicate design intent, usability, operations, and maintenance of new products to internal customers.
• Use mechanical engineering principles and fundamentals to provide reliable and manufacturable solutions for technically challenging problems.
• Collaborate with Vehicle, Test, Manufacturing, Production, and Launch engineers & technicians to establish individual task scope and feasibility.
• Demonstrate a willingness to seek creative, novel, and different ways to accomplish outcomes.

QUALIFICATIONS

Required

• Bachelors Degree in Mechanical Engineering or related engineering discipline
• 0-2 years of focused, hands-on experience designing mechanical or structural systems.
• Possesses strong understanding of and predilection for statics, solid mechanics, and materials.
• Proficiency using CAD, preferably in Siemens NX.
• Experience performing structural analysis of parts, weldments, and assemblies - utilizing FEA and hand calculations, as well as communicating the results of the analysis.
• Comprehension of mechanical design fundamentals including tolerancing, ASME Standards, ASTM, and GD&T.
• Knowledge of general fabrication, welding, machining and assembly practices.
• Capable of balancing detailed design tasks with higher level project management type tasks, including budgeting, scheduling, and communications.
• Able to prioritize and execute tasks in a high-pressure fast-paced environment
• Works well in a collaborative multidisciplinary environment and able to follow direction.
• Willingness to travel in support of GSE activations at multiple Firefly locations up to 25% of the time.
• Demonstrated creation of successful Ground Support Equipment (GSE) or related structural designs, including welded structures, mechanisms, production & manufacturing tooling, test fixtures, or launch site infrastructure.
• Experience with professional or hobby grade building and tinkering (welding, wood working, engine repair, etc).
• Comfortable using light tools & machinery (battery & air powered tools, forklifts)
• Experience with rigging and performing lift operations.
• Experience in an oil & gas, startup, or NewSpace environment
• Familiarity with ASME, AWS, AISC, AFSPCMAN, and NASA standards related to GSE & structural design

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