Flight Dynamics Engineer III (Trajectory), Blue Ghost Verified today

About Firefly Aerospace

Firefly Aerospace is a space and defense technology company on a mission to reliably and repeatedly launch, land, and operate space systems from Earth to the Moon and beyond. Headquartered in north Austin, Texas, the company was the first commercial operator to achieve a successful Moon landing.

The Role

As a Senior Flight Dynamics Engineer specializing in trajectory and maneuver design, you will design and optimize spacecraft trajectories and maneuver sequences for operational missions spanning LEO and cislunar space. You will combine advanced mission design with hands-on operational support while mentoring junior engineers in a fast-paced, mission-critical environment.

Your Responsibilities

• Optimize spacecraft trajectories to satisfy mission requirements while balancing delta-V budgets, mission duration, and payload constraints
• Design and maintain mission designs from conceptual phase through end of spacecraft mission operations
• Develop algorithms to target maneuvers that achieve spacecraft mission objectives
• Create maneuver error budgets and perform sensitivity analysis to assess robustness to execution uncertainties
• Formulate and analyze contingency maneuver plans and abort scenarios for off-nominal conditions
• Interface with cross-discipline teams to translate maneuver plans into executable command sequences and operational procedures
• Serve as a flight dynamics operator for spacecraft missions and perform maneuver reconstruction to improve spacecraft models
• Perform verification and validation of flight dynamics models and software using analytical solutions, benchmarks, flight data, and unit tests
• Author technical documentation and analysis reports that communicate flight dynamics concepts and results to diverse audiences

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in aerospace engineering, physics, mathematics, or related field
• 5-8 years of experience in spacecraft flight dynamics with significant depth in mission design or maneuver planning
• Experience supporting operational spacecraft missions through multiple mission phases
• Advanced understanding of orbital mechanics theory and applications
• Understanding of spacecraft attitude control and its impact on maneuver execution accuracy
• Strong understanding of targeting and optimization methods
• Knowledge of estimation theory and uncertainty modeling
• Experience in software development and modeling/simulation for spaceflight applications
• Working knowledge of Python and Linux
• Proficiency with one or more commercial trajectory design software tools (STK, FreeFlyer, GMAT, or similar)
• Excellent communication and presentation skills

Desired Qualifications

• Advanced degree (master's or PhD) in aerospace engineering, physics, mathematics, or related field
• Expert-level proficiency in STK for spacecraft trajectory design
• Python proficiency and experience with JPL's MONTE software suite
• Software engineering expertise including skills in version control (Git), code review, automated testing, documentation, and CI/CD workflows
• Comprehensive knowledge of spacecraft subsystems and their impact on trajectory design and maneuver planning
• Proven ability to mentor and develop junior engineers while managing technical responsibilities

Employment Details

U.S. citizenship or lawful permanent residency required to conform to International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR).

Firefly offers health, dental and vision plans with low deductibles, parental leave, educational reimbursement, short term disability, and flexible PTO.