Senior Payload Engineer, Spacecraft Hardware & Interfaces

Firefly Aerospace; Cedar Park (TX); On-site; USD 95,000 - 140,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health, dental, vision plans

Parental leave

Relocation benefits

Educational reimbursement

Short term disability

Flexible PTO

Job summary

Firefly Aerospace is seeking a Payload Engineer III to lead the design, analysis, and qualification of payload segments and spacecraft interfaces for Alpha launch vehicles. You will own hardware definitions, guide tests, and collaborate with manufacturing, quality, and supply chain to ensure flight readiness.

The role requires a BS in mechanical/aerospace, 6+ years in aerospace hardware design, and hands-on experience with FEA and environmental testing.

Qualifications

• BS in Mechanical or Aerospace engineering.
• 6+ years designing, analyzing, and qualifying aerospace hardware.
• Experience with flight-critical structures or mechanisms.
• Experience with extreme environments: vibration, shock, vacuum.
• Proficiency with carbon fiber and metallic structures.
• FEA experience with ANSYS, Femap, or similar.

Responsibilities

• Develop payload segment and spacecraft interfaces for customers.
• Create and manage hardware definition via CAD drawings and documentation.
• Perform detailed analyses: structural margins, thermal effects, tolerances.
• Document thoroughly to ensure confidence and reliability.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to ensure hardware integration.
• Support build, integration, and acceptance activities.
• Lead development, qualification, and acceptance tests to industry standards.
• Mentor junior engineers and participate in customer interface meetings.
• Travel up to 20% as needed.

Skills

FEA

Structural analysis

Aerospace hardware

Manufacturability

Qualification testing

Education

B.S. in Mechanical or Aerospace

MS/PhD in Mechanical or Aerospace

8+ years aerospace design/analysis

Tools

ANSYS

Femap

Job description

Firefly Aerospace is seeking a Payload Engineer III to lead the design, analysis, and qualification of payload segments and spacecraft interfaces for Alpha launch vehicles. You will own hardware definitions, guide tests, and collaborate with manufacturing, quality, and supply chain to ensure flight readiness.

The role requires a BS in mechanical/aerospace, 6+ years in aerospace hardware design, and hands-on experience with FEA and environmental testing.