Propulsion Engineer II (Spacecraft Fluids)

1w1 week ago

Firefly Aerospace

Cedar Park, US · Full-time · $115,000 – $155,000

About this role

Firefly Aerospace, an end-to-end space transportation company, develops launch vehicles, lunar landers, and orbital vehicles for missions from low Earth orbit to the Moon. The Propulsion Fluid Systems team designs, integrates, and operates all fluid subsystems across Firefly’s spacecraft. As Propulsion Engineer II, you own hardware lifecycle from requirements definition through qualification of Blue Ghost and Elytra spacecraft fluid systems.

You lead CAD design and analysis efforts, collaborate with fabrication and integration teams to build and assemble systems, and support vehicle testing and launch operations. Fluid Systems Engineers demonstrate deep technical knowledge and ownership from concept to flight. You thrive in a fast-paced environment, challenging assumptions to deliver impactful contributions.

Work cross-functionally with structures, propulsion, avionics, and vehicle systems teams as the primary technical point of contact. Serve as Responsible Engineer with clear communication to internal and external stakeholders. Hands-on involvement spans development, testing, and operations for reliable spacecraft performance.

Drive innovative designs that reduce complexity and maximize reliability within program constraints. Identify risks, perform trade studies, and implement design-for-manufacturability improvements. Contribute to automation tools, test data analysis, and efficient flight operations troubleshooting.

Requirements

B.S. in Mechanical, Aerospace, or related engineering discipline
3+ years of experience in fluid systems engineering and/or propulsion
Thorough understanding of fluid dynamics and thermodynamics
Experience with tube or pipe design and layout
Proficiency in modeling and analysis tools (e.g., CAD, FEA, CFD, MATLAB, Python)
Deep knowledge of engineering fundamentals and demonstrated history of applying first principles to simple, robust solutions
Hands-on experience with hardware design, fabrication, and testing
Working knowledge of manufacturing, fabrication, integration, and quality control relevant to fluid components

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 that reduce complexity and maximize reliability
Serve as the primary technical point of contact for all spacecraft fluid systems
Author and present detailed design review presentations 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 vehicle operation
Support vehicle test and flight campaigns by providing console operations support