Firefly Aerospace · 9 hours ago
Chief Engineer (Mechanical Engineering)
Cedar Park, TX
Full-time
Onsite
Director/Executive
10+ years expFirefly Aerospace is an end-to-end responsive space company on a mission to enable our world to launch, land, and operate in space. The Mechanical Engineering Chief Engineer will provide technical leadership for mechanical, architectural, and structural design and analysis of Firefly's launch vehicle and spacecraft products.
AerospaceAir TransportationSatellite Communication
No H1B
U.S. Citizen Only
Responsibilities
Serve as technical authority and approver for mechanical hardware decisions, including design changes, ECOs/CRs, and release packages; ensure trades, assumptions, analyses, and test data are technically sound and defensible
Lead and arbitrate cross-disciplinary technical trades impacting vehicle performance, reliability, manufacturability, and certification
Own mechanical and structural requirements, verification methods, compliance evidence, and acceptance criteria
Guide and approve analysis methodologies and reports, including FEA, classical hand calculations, margins philosophy, loads & dynamics, and test correlation
Drive hardware development and qualification test definition, standards, and guidelines
Provide technical oversight of test operations, including test readiness reviews and evaluation of test plans for thoroughness, quality, and adherence to applicable standards
Partner with Manufacturing, Reliability/Quality, and Program teams to resolve integration, build, and production issues and ensure integration-ready hardware
Maintain engineering rigor through change activity, NCRs, RCCAs, and anomaly investigations
Ensure lessons learned and test findings are incorporated into future standards and designs
Drive continuous improvement in engineering quality, reliability, cost, and lead-time
Provide technical leadership and mentorship to mechanical engineering teams, elevating technical judgment, review readiness, and overall engineering quality
Collaborate effectively with other technical and support organizations to optimize workflow and execution across the company
Qualification
Required
B.S. in Aerospace, Mechanical, or related engineering field
10+ years of experience in mechanical and/or structural design, analysis, and qualification for aerospace systems
Demonstrated experience owning technical decisions, design reviews, change control, and NCR/RCCA disposition
Proven ability to translate complex technical problems into clear, defensible engineering decisions backed by physics, data, and sound judgment
Deep understanding of FEM/FEA and classical hand analysis and verification methods
Deep understanding of structural mechanics and load paths
Deep understanding of materials and fracture mechanics
Deep understanding of loads and dynamic analysis and testing
Deep understanding of configuration control and compliance evidence
Working knowledge of composite manufacturing methods, material selection, testing, characterization, and allowables development
Strong documentation rigor and configuration control discipline; sets the standard for technical quality
Track record of elevating engineering teams through mentorship, technical leadership, and raising the bar on review readiness
Preferred
M.S. or PhD in a relevant discipline
Experience serving as a Chief Engineer, technical authority, or structural signatory for launch vehicle or spacecraft flight programs
Expertise in advanced structures, such as composites, bonded assemblies, cryogenic tanks, reusable structures, or high-rate production environments
Strong cross-disciplinary instincts; able to connect structures decisions to propulsion, mechanisms, loads & dynamics, and integration constraints
Strong design and integration skills using 3D CAD software (Siemens NX preferred)
Demonstrated experience with industry FEA/FEM tools (ANSYS, Nastran, FEMAP, etc.)
Working knowledge of at least one computer or scripting language at a hobbyist level or professional
Benefits
Generous health, dental and vision plans with low plan deductibles
Parental leave
Educational reimbursement
Short term disability
Flexible PTO options
Company
Firefly Aerospace
Firefly Aerospace is a space company that develops and operates launch vehicles, lunar landers, and orbital vehicles for commercial mission.
501-1000 employees
Funding
Current Stage
Public CompanyTotal Funding
$796.56MKey Investors
Northrop GrummanRPM VenturesAE Industrial Partners
2025-08-07IPO
2025-05-29Corporate Round· $50M
2024-11-12Series D· $175M
Leadership Team
Jason Kim
Chief Executive Officer
Eric Salwan
Co-Founder
Recent News
Company data provided by crunchbase