Spacecraft Propulsion Fluid Systems Engineer

Firefly Aerospace; Leander (TX); On-site; USD 85,000 - 120,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health, dental and vision plans

Parental leave

Educational reimbursement

Short term disability

Flexible PTO

Job summary

Firefly Aerospace in Austin, TX is seeking a Responsible Engineer for Propulsion Fluid Systems to own the fluid subsystem across concept through flight. You will design, analyze, and verify fluid components for Blue Ghost and Elytra spacecraft, collaborating with structures, propulsion, and avionics teams.

The role requires a B.S. in Mechanical or Aerospace Engineering, hands-on hardware experience, and strong communication skills.

Qualifications

• B.S. in Mechanical, Aerospace, or related engineering.
• 1+ years of experience in fluid systems engineering and/or propulsion.
• Experience with tube or pipe design and layout.
• Proficiency in modeling and analysis tools (e.g., CAD, FEA, CFD, MATLAB, Python).
• Hands-on hardware design, fabrication, and testing.

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.
• Serve as the primary technical point of contact for all spacecraft fluid systems.
• Author and present detailed design reviews to internal and external stakeholders.
• Plan, coordinate, and execute development, qualification, and acceptance testing of flight hardware.
• Implement design-for-manufacturability improvements to increase production efficiency and vehicle reliability.
• Identify system-level risks, perform trade studies, and drive decisions for successful operation.
• Develop and maintain automation tools and test data analysis capabilities.
• Support vehicle test and flight campaigns with console operations and troubleshooting.

Skills

Fluid dynamics

Thermodynamics

CAD

FEA/CFD

MATLAB

Python

Communication

Hardware design

Education

Bachelor's degree in Mechanical/Aerospace

Advanced degree in Mechanical/Aerospace

Tools

Ansys

Caesar II

Bentley Autopipe

CAD

Job description

Firefly Aerospace in Austin, TX is seeking a Responsible Engineer for Propulsion Fluid Systems to own the fluid subsystem across concept through flight. You will design, analyze, and verify fluid components for Blue Ghost and Elytra spacecraft, collaborating with structures, propulsion, and avionics teams.

The role requires a B.S. in Mechanical or Aerospace Engineering, hands-on hardware experience, and strong communication skills.