Quality Engineer III (Propulsion)

Firefly Aerospace; Briggs (TX); On-site; USD 70,000 - 90,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Generous health, dental and vision plans

Parental leave

Educational reimbursement

Flexible PTO options

Job summary

Firefly Aerospace is seeking a Quality Engineer in Briggs, Texas, responsible for developing and maintaining quality assurance processes for flight hardware and software products. The ideal candidate should have a Bachelor’s degree in engineering, at least 5 years of relevant experience, and proficiency in quality assurance methods. The position plays a critical role in ensuring product reliability and compliance with aerospace standards while working with teams to enhance product quality and reduce costs.

Qualifications

• 5+ years of hands-on experience in manufacturing, quality, and design engineering role.
• Demonstrated ability to understand technical drawings and specifications.
• Experience with aerospace industry quality standards.

Responsibilities

• Develop and maintain quality plans for flight products.
• Ensure actions for product acceptance are conducted accurately.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to resolve non-conformance issues.

Skills

Quality assurance principles

Inspection techniques

Statistical process control

Communication skills

Problem-solving approaches

Education

Bachelor’s degree in engineering or related discipline

Bachelor’s degree in aerospace, mechanical, or industrial engineering

Tools

Lean principles tools

Measurement systems analysis

Job description

About Firefly Aerospace

As an end‑to‑end responsive space company, Firefly Aerospace is on a mission to enable our world to launch, land, and operate in space – anywhere, anytime. Our small‑to‑medium lift launch vehicles, lunar landers, and orbital vehicles allow us to service the entire lifecycle of government and commercial missions from low Earth orbit to the Moon and beyond. We utilize carbon composite structures, patented propulsion technologies, and common components across our vehicles to iterate quickly, improve reliability, and deliver payloads at a lower cost.

Summary

Quality Assurance owns the processes and tools by which Firefly identifies, contains, eliminates, and prevents non‑conformances. The Quality Engineer is responsible for the development and maintenance of processes, equipment, and plans for inspection and acceptance of qualification and flight hardware and software products. They also manage containment, root‑cause analysis, corrective actions, and periodic auditing to ensure products are reliable and economical. Verifying that all key performance and design characteristics are met prior to launch, Quality Engineers play a critical role in ensuring mission success. This position is located at our Production and Test facility north of Cedar Park in Briggs, TX.

Responsibilities

• Partner with design engineering and manufacturing teams through product development and production to create quality plans for flight products, including identification of key characteristics, development testing for functionality and manufacturability, first article and detailed inspection planning, and consideration of past failures and lessons learned.
• Develop and maintain inspection plans on propulsion components and sub‑assemblies (engines, valves, and tubing).
• Develop and maintain equipment, training, and standard work instructions for detailed inspection programs which assure adherence to design, specification, and testing requirements.
• Ensure that all actions required for product acceptance are conducted accurately and efficiently, in alignment with all customer requirements and regulatory standards.
• Generate accurate records for traceability and pedigree of customer‑deliverable products, including records of First Article Inspection.
• Lead and support Quality Inspectors in workflow priority, inspection process efficiency, and best practice inspection methodologies.
• Identify and document non‑conformances affecting product reliability and production efficiency.
• Collect, track, and trend production data on first‑pass yield and non‑conformance issues, performing basic statistical analysis on variable data.
• Collaborate with cross‑functional teams to investigate and resolve non‑conformance or quality issues, including development and implementation of robust corrective actions to prevent recurrences.
• Develop and execute quarantine plans to identify, control, and disposition all affected non‑conforming product.
• Maintain tool control and calibration processes within assigned department – including validation of metrology systems.
• Plan and perform periodic product and process audits to ensure compliance with Firefly Quality Management System.
• Implement standards, tools, and methods to ensure the effectiveness of quality processes and sustain quality performance improvements.
• Execute projects and process improvements to reduce cost of poor quality.
• Review designs and provide feedback to mitigate manufacturability and inspection challenges.
• Review procedures and production metrics that impact quality and make necessary changes to ensure compliance with standards and requirements for mission success.
• Provide research and interpretation of regulations and requirements to ensure compliance with external standards.
• Participate in technical operations and offer guidance and/or serve as an additional technical engineering resource.
• Initiate and execute plans to improve product quality, reliability, and inspection efficiency.
• Apply 5S workplace organization & follow the Lean initiatives.
• Support manufacturing compliance to customer and internal specifications to meet contractual and mission requirements.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in mechanical, industrial, or electrical engineering or related discipline (e.g. computer science, mathematics, physics, chemistry).
• 5+ years of hands‑on experience in a manufacturing, quality, and/or design engineering role.
• Demonstrated ability to apply engineering fundamentals, interpret technical information, develop technical instructions, and understand technical drawings, specifications, GD&T, and related quality control documentation and standards.
• Experience with standards and/or equivalent quality, military, or government standards in the aerospace industry.
• Strong interpersonal skills, including the ability to communicate effectively, both verbally and written.
• Flexibility regarding workflow and process.
• Excellent organization skills. Willingness to work with a team, share expertise, and follow instructions to accomplish established goals.

Desired Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in aerospace, mechanical, industrial, electrical engineering or related discipline (e.g. computer science, mathematics, physics, chemistry).
• 8+ years of hands‑on experience in an aerospace manufacturing, quality, and/or design engineering role.
• Demonstrated experience applying quality assurance principles, methods, and processes – including inspection techniques, equipment, and tools used in quality control.
• Comprehensive understanding of aerospace manufacturing processes, materials, and specifications.
• Demonstrated competency in fluid/propulsion disciplines and related manufacturing processes (machining, casting, bending, welding, cleaning, integration, testing).
• Full capability to read and understand blueprints, drawings GD&T, and Model‑Based Definitions.
• Knowledge of quality tools such as Lean principles, measurement systems analysis, design of experiments, statistical process control, root cause analysis and corrective action, advanced product quality planning (APQP), metrology, process failure mode and effects analysis (PFMEA), control plans, and various problem solving approaches.
• Demonstrated experience with application of aerospace quality standards, such as AS9100 or ISO 9001.
• IPC Certification (IPC J‑STD‑001, IPC‑A‑600, IPC‑A‑610, IPC‑A‑620, IPC‑7711/21).
• Experience operating in and maintaining cleanroom per FS209E, ISO 14644‑1, or equivalent.
• ASQ CQE.

Benefits

Firefly offers outstanding benefits for our employees, including generous health, dental and vision plans with low deductibles, parental leave, educational reimbursement, short‑term disability, and flexible PTO options.

Compliance and Additional Information

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.