Propulsion Engineer III (Spacecraft Fluids)

Firefly Aerospace; Cedar Park (TX); On-site; USD 140,000 - 200,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health plans

Parental leave

Education reimbursement

Short-term disability

Flexible PTO

Job summary

Firefly Aerospace is seeking a highly experienced Fluid Systems Engineer to own design and test across the Blue Ghost and Elytra spacecraft fluid systems. You will drive CAD analyses, work with fabrication, and support vehicle testing and launch operations.

The role demands deep thermodynamics knowledge, experience with fluid components and testing, and the ability to communicate clearly with propulsion, structures, and avionics teams in a fast-paced environment.

Qualifications

• BS in Mechanical, Aerospace, or related engineering.
• 10+ years in launch vehicle or spacecraft propulsion.
• Thorough understanding of fluid dynamics and thermodynamics.
• Experience with fluid components sizing and hardware testing.
• Proficiency with modeling/analysis tools (CAD/FEA/CFD, MATLAB, Python).
• Strong communication and technical writing skills.

Responsibilities

• Demonstrate full ownership of spacecraft fluid system requirements, design, and analysis from concept through flight.
• Lead development of propulsion integration concepts to maximize reliability.
• Serve as primary technical contact for spacecraft fluid systems.
• Present design reviews to stakeholders and lead data analysis.
• Plan and execute development, qualification, and acceptance testing of flight hardware.
• Implement manufacturability improvements to reduce cost and lead time.
• Identify risks, perform trade studies, and drive informed decisions.
• Develop automation tools and test data analysis capabilities.
• Support vehicle test and flight campaigns with console operations.
• Collaborate on processes, work instructions, and test procedures with manufacturing.

Skills

Fluid systems engineering

Propulsion experience

Fluid dynamics

Thermodynamics

CAD/FEA/CFD

Python/MATLAB

Problem solving

Hardware testing

Data acquisition

Analytical thinking

Education

B.S. Mechanical or Aerospace Engineering

Advanced degree (MS/PhD) in Mechanical or Aerospace Engineering

Tools

Ansys

Caesar II

Bentley Autopipe

MATLAB

Python

CAD

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.

ABOUT THE ROLE

The Propulsion Fluid Systems team is responsible for the design, integration, and operation of all fluid subsystems across Firefly’s spacecraft. As a Responsible Engineer, you will work across the full lifecycle of hardware, including requirements definition, design, analysis, development, test, and qualification of the Blue Ghost and Elytra spacecraft fluid systems. You will lead CAD design and analysis efforts, collaborate with fabrication and integration teams to build and assemble the system, and support vehicle testing and launch operations.

Fluid Systems Engineers have deep technical knowledge, ownership of hardware from concept to flight, and clear communication with cross‑functional partners including structures, propulsion, avionics, and vehicle systems. The successful candidate will be a self‑starter who enjoys challenging assumptions, thrives in a fast‑paced development environment, and seeks to make impactful contributions to Firefly’s mission.

RESPONSIBILITIES

• Demonstrate full ownership of spacecraft fluid system requirements, design, and analysis from concept through flight.
• Lead development of innovative design concepts for propulsion integration and operations that reduce complexity and maximize reliability within program constraints.
• Serve as the primary technical point of contact for all spacecraft fluid systems.
• Author and present detailed design review presentations to internal and external stakeholders
• Plan, coordinate, and execute development, qualification, and acceptance testing of flight hardware, including data analysis and reviews.
• Implement design-for-manufacturability improvements to increase production efficiency and vehicle reliability.
• Identify system‑level risks, perform trade studies, and drive decisions to ensure successful vehicle operation.
• Develop and maintain automation tools and test data analysis capabilities.
• Support vehicle test and flight campaigns by providing console operations support.
• Collaborate with manufacturing and integration teams to develop processes, work instructions, and test procedures, and provide direct build support
• Drive development of efficient test and flight operations for fluid systems and assist with troubleshooting during vehicle operations

QUALIFICATIONS

Required

• B.S. in Mechanical, Aerospace, or related engineering discipline
• 8+ years of experience in fluid systems engineering and/or propulsion
• Thorough understanding of fluid dynamics and thermodynamics
• Experience with tube or pipe design and layout
• Proficiency in modeling and analysis tools (e.g., CAD, FEA, CFD, MATLAB, Python)
• Deep knowledge of engineering fundamentals and a demonstrated history of applying first principles to arrive at simple, robust solutions
• Excellent problem‑solving, communication, and technical writing skills.
• Hands‑on experience with hardware design, fabrication, and testing
• Working knowledge of manufacturing, fabrication, integration, and quality control relevant to fluid components (such as machining, inspection, assembly, testing, etc.)
• Knowledge of fluid components such as valves, regulators, pressure transducers, tubing, pressurized hardware, seals, and instrumentation and experience performing fluid systems sizing analysis with such components
• Advanced degree in Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or equivalent field
• 10+ years of experience developing launch vehicle or spacecraft propulsion systems
• Knowledge of material selection and best practices for hypergolic systems
• Experience with fluid system subcomponent or pressurized component development, design, or testing (such as valves, regulators, piping systems, pumps, etc.)
• Experience in working with data acquisition systems and test instrumentation including pressure transducers, thermocouples, resistance temperature detectors (RTDs), flow meters, load cells, and accelerometers
• Experience conducting tubing/piping flexibility analysis using software packages such as Ansys, Caesar II, Bentley Autopipe, etc.
• Experience reducing the complexity of large integrated assemblies to reduce part count, cost, and lead time
• Demonstrated experience with full hardware lifecycle ownership, from blank‑sheet design through full operation

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