Turbopump Design Lead, Propulsion Eng II/III

Firefly Aerospace; United States; On-site; USD 120,000 - 170,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health, dental and vision plans

Parental leave

Relocation benefits

Educational reimbursement

Short-term disability

Flexible PTO

Job summary

Firefly Aerospace in Austin, TX seeks a Turbomachinery Engineer to own turbopump hardware across its full lifecycle—from concept through flight readiness. You will work with propulsion, structures, avionics, and vehicle teams to design, analyze, test, and qualify turbopump components that power the Alpha launch vehicle.

The role requires deep turbomachinery knowledge, hands-on hardware experience, and the ability to communicate complex technical concepts clearly to cross‑functional partners.

Qualifications

• B.S. in Mechanical, Aerospace, or related engineering discipline; Level II (3+ yrs) or Level III (6+ yrs).
• Fundamental understanding of rotating machinery.
• Strong grasp of fluid dynamics, thermodynamics, heat transfer, and solid mechanics.
• First principles problem solving; hardware design, fabrication, and testing experience.
• CAD and configuration management tools (NX/Teamcenter); GD&T and ASME Y14.5 knowledge.
• Experience with Python, MATLAB, LabVIEW, GFSSP or similar tools.
• Experience with manufacturing and inspection methods for turbomachinery.
• Excellent communication and technical writing skills.

Responsibilities

• Own turbopump hardware through full lifecycle from concept to flight.
• Design fluid/mechanical turbopump components to meet requirements.
• Lead reliability and manufacturability improvements.
• Perform fluid, structural, thermal, and dynamic analyses.
• Develop models to predict performance and operability.
• Manage tolerances, databooks; coordinate with manufacturing/quality.
• Plan and execute development, qualification, and acceptance testing.
• Prepare and present design reviews and data reviews to stakeholders.
• Identify system risks and drive trade studies and decisions.
• Support turbopump/engine manufacturing and corrective actions.
• Develop innovative concepts to reduce part count, cost, and lead time.

Skills

Rotating machinery

Fluid dynamics

Thermodynamics

Heat transfer

Solid mechanics

First principles

Hardware design

GD&T

Problem-solving

Communication skills

Technical writing

Education

B.S. in Mechanical or Aerospace Engineering

Advanced degree (MS/PhD)

Tools

Siemens NX

Teamcenter

Python

MATLAB

LabVIEW

GFSSP

ANSYS

Job description

Firefly Aerospace in Austin, TX seeks a Turbomachinery Engineer to own turbopump hardware across its full lifecycle—from concept through flight readiness. You will work with propulsion, structures, avionics, and vehicle teams to design, analyze, test, and qualify turbopump components that power the Alpha launch vehicle.

The role requires deep turbomachinery knowledge, hands-on hardware experience, and the ability to communicate complex technical concepts clearly to cross‑functional partners.