Spacecraft Propulsion Engineer I (Valves)

About the Role

Firefly Aerospace is seeking passionate, hardworking innovators to join our fluid components team. This team designs, builds, tests, and qualifies high-performance, precision fluid components for various space systems. Engineers on this team own their products throughout the entire product lifecycle, from conception to production handoff.

Key Responsibilities

• Demonstrate extreme ownership of hardware.
• Conceptualize, design, develop, and deliver propulsion components for high-performance systems.
• Oversee the entire development lifecycle and provide production support as the technical expert.
• Own a combination of Firefly-developed and commercial-off-the-shelf (COTs) valves, regulators, and actuators.
• Prepare content for and lead CoDRs, MRR, PDRs, TRRs, data reviews, and CDRs.
• Author and execute qualification and acceptance test plans, including hands-on hardware problem-solving.
• Work to standardize solutions across programs and product lines.
• Improve mission cadence by identifying and implementing cost-saving and risk-reduction measures.
• Lead cross-functional teams of analysts, manufacturing engineers, quality engineers, supply chain representatives, and test engineers to deliver tested hardware on time.
• Resolve non-conformances and implement design changes to improve product yield and manufacturability.
• Collaborate with program teams to develop hardware upgrades aligned with performance and cost goals.
• Develop simulation-based design methods and validate using subscale and full-scale testing.
• Lead failure investigations to determine root cause and implement mitigations.
• Qualify existing and new product lines following guidance from SMC-S-016 and S-080.
• Manage multiple projects and competing priorities.

Requirements & Tech Stack

• BS in Aerospace Engineering or related engineering discipline.
• Internship experience in a valve or fluid system design-related role.
• Exceptional comprehension of engineering fundamentals: fluid mechanics, heat transfer, structural analysis, materials, and processes.
• Strong understanding of fluid systems aspects: fluid systems sizing, valve design and operation, instrumentation, flexible element design & integration, and fluid fittings.
• Skilled in creating analytical/numerical models of engineering devices and processes.
• Ability to successfully manage complex projects.
• Ability to work collaboratively in a fast-paced, multidisciplinary environment.
• Demonstrated interest in advancing 'newspace'.
• Self-motivated with minimum direction required.
• Ability to creatively develop economical solutions.

Qualifications (Desired)

• Served as a Responsible, Manufacturing, or Test engineer for an aerospace development project in a fluids-related subsystem.
• Component test experience.
• Proficient with GD&T.
• Proficient with DFM.
• Proficient with FEA and/or CFD analysis.
• Knowledge of high-pressure, cryogenic, hydraulic, and pneumatic systems.
• Experience with valve and regulator design.
• Experience with liquid oxygen or other cryogenic operations.
• Experience modeling fluid networks.
• Experience with rapid development techniques for hardware.

Note: To conform to U.S. Government space technology export regulations, including ITAR, you must be a U.S. citizen, lawful permanent resident of the U.S., protected individual, or eligible to obtain required U.S. Department of State authorizations.