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Spacecraft Systems Engineer IV Verified today

Firefly Aerospace · Texas · Space Systems · first seen 2026-09-10
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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, Firefly is the first commercial company to launch a satellite to orbit with 24-hour notice and the first company to achieve a successful Moon landing.

The Role

Join Firefly as a Spacecraft Systems Engineer to lead spacecraft systems development for Blue Ghost and Elytra over the full product lifecycle from concept through fabrication, test, and flight. You will work across design engineering, manufacturing, integration, test and launch teams to deliver thoroughly tested, operationally efficient and reliable vehicles that meet system-level requirements.

The Systems Engineering team owns requirements, interfaces, and test planning. You will validate system architecture, manage technical budgets, design configuration between departments, develop test plans, ensure requirement verification, and support mission operations. You will speak knowledgeably about current system configuration and provide status updates on performance, changes, schedule, and risks.

Responsibilities

  • Create and maintain system-level designs, schematics, interface control documents and performance budgets including fluid, electrical, and software architectures (ICDs, ConOps, States and Modes, Sequence Diagrams, FBDs, Boundary Diagrams, Grounding/Bonding Diagrams, Mass/Power/Link/dV budgets).
  • Own requirements development and flowdown, subsystem interfaces, and vehicle-level test plans. Review all test plans for your vehicle.
  • Lead system-level trades, design reviews, and data reviews. Deliver System Requirements Review (SRR) and Preliminary Design Review (PDR); provide critical inputs to Critical Design Review (CDR), Mission Readiness Review (MRR), Test Readiness Review (TRR), and Launch Readiness Review (LRR).
  • Own resolution of issues, failures, or Non-Conformance Reports (NCRs) impacting test plan closure, including root cause analysis and corrective actions.
  • Facilitate change control board, risk review board, deliverable tracking and effort estimates for your vehicle.
  • Build strong relationships with manufacturing and integration technicians; propose upstream improvements to address their challenges.
  • Travel to support offsite testing.
  • Serve as surge capacity for the operations team during demanding missions, supporting 12-hour shifts during lunar mission operations.
  • Maintain calm under pressure and foster a positive, professional, respectful working environment.

Required Qualifications

  • BS in Aerospace Engineering or related engineering discipline.
  • 12+ years of focused hands-on experience in an interdisciplinary project management or execution role on spacecraft (equivalent work will be considered).
  • Firm comprehension and demonstrated application of first principles in orbital mechanics, controls, mechanical, structural dynamics, electrical, mechatronics, materials, thermodynamics, fluid dynamics, and propulsion.
  • Experience leading interdisciplinary project teams of hardware and software engineers.
  • Strong working knowledge of ASME, MIL, ASTM, and/or NASA Standards, and Systems Engineering best practices. Ability to adapt processes to meet team needs.
  • Exceptional written and verbal communication, public speaking and presentation skills.

Desired Qualifications

  • Experience through the full lifecycle of a spacecraft mission from SRR to mission operations.
  • Strong working knowledge of GNC analysis and cislunar mission planning.
  • Strong working knowledge of the lunar surface environment and robotics.
  • MS or PhD in Aerospace/Mechanical Engineering or equivalent technical field.
  • Strong working knowledge of real-time visual navigation systems for autonomous control.
  • Experience designing spacecraft architectures or critical subsystems for reliability and radiation resiliency.
  • Strong working knowledge of fabrication and assembly methodologies, production management tools, and quality control processes.
  • Experience tailoring SMC/AFSPCM/91-710 equivalent documents; understanding, documenting and resolving technical implications and risks associated with tailoring.
  • Experience with Agile Project Management using Atlassian tools (JIRA, Confluence, Bitbucket).
  • PMP or equivalent project management certification or experience.

US Eligibility Requirement

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 as defined by 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3), or eligible to obtain required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State.