Tooling Engineer III-Composites

Firefly Aerospace; Briggs (TX); On-site; USD 85,000 - 110,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health, dental, and vision plans

Parental leave

Educational reimbursement

Pet insurance

Flexible PTO options

Job summary

Firefly Aerospace is seeking a Tooling Engineer to support the design, fabrication, and integration of production tooling. This role involves collaboration with cross-functional teams to develop effective tooling solutions that enhance manufacturing processes.

The ideal candidate will have a Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering and over 5 years of related experience. Firefly offers great employee benefits including health insurance, educational reimbursement, and flexible PTO.

Qualifications

• 5+ years of experience in tooling design and development.
• Proficiency in CAD software and manufacturing processes.
• Strong communication and problem-solving skills.

Responsibilities

• Design and develop tooling for manufacturing processes.
• Collaborate with Manufacturing, Design, Quality, and Supply Chain teams.
• Ensure compliance with safety and regulatory standards.

Skills

Tooling design and development

Problem-solving

Communication

Manufacturing processes

CAD software

Simulation tools

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering or related field

Tools

SolidWorks

AutoCAD

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

Firefly is seeking a Tooling Engineer to support the design, fabrication, and integration of production jigs and fixtures across all production areas. In this hands‑on role, you will work closely with cross‑functional teams to deliver high‑quality, cost‑effective tooling solutions that enable product development, streamline manufacturing processes, and support continuous improvement initiatives. This role requires a highly skilled engineer with strong problem‑solving abilities, a proactive mindset, and a passion for driving innovation through advanced tooling technologies, materials, and processes.

Responsibilities

• Design and develop tooling for manufacturing processes in collaboration with cross‑functional teams.
• Work closely with Manufacturing, Design, Quality, and Supply Chain teams to ensure tooling aligns with production and product needs.
• Support procurement and commissioning of tooling solutions, ensuring on‑time delivery and performance to specifications.
• Contribute to process improvement initiatives to reduce cycle time and cost while improving tooling performance and quality.
• Participate in project planning activities, including estimates, timelines, and deliverables, under the guidance of project leadership.
• Evaluate new tooling technologies and materials, recommending solutions to enhance efficiency and capability.
• Ensure compliance with safety, quality, and regulatory standards in all tooling designs and implementations.
• Troubleshoot and resolve tooling issues during development and production phases.
• Share knowledge and collaborate effectively with peers and stakeholders.
• Represent Tool Engineering as a trusted and skilled partner within the broader engineering organization.

Qualifications

Required

• Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, or a related field.
• 5+ years of experience in tooling design and development.
• Proficient in manufacturing processes, materials, CAD software (e.g., SolidWorks, AutoCAD), and simulation tools.
• Strong problem‑solving and communication skills.
• Experience with GD&T and/or drawing interpretation.
• Demonstrated experience supporting tooling development through design, procurement, and implementation.

Desired

• Proficient in manufacturing processes, materials, CAD software (e.g., SolidWorks, AutoCAD), and simulation tools.
• Strong problem‑solving and communication skills.
• Experience with GD&T and/or drawing interpretation.
• Demonstrated experience supporting tooling development through design, procurement, and implementation.

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, pet insurance, 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 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.