Mechanical GSE Engineer I 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. Firefly was the first commercial company to launch a satellite to orbit with 24-hour notice and the first to achieve a successful Moon landing. Headquartered in north Austin, Texas.

The Role

As a Mechanical Ground Support Equipment (GSE) Design Engineer, you will design Firefly's next generation of launch sites, test stands, and material handling equipment supporting the entire fleet of launch vehicles and spacecraft. You will own projects from cradle to grave through requirements, design, structural analysis, procurement, fabrication, testing and activation.

What You Will Do

• Serve as the responsible engineer and primary designer for material handling equipment including vehicle production tooling, transportation fixtures, lift fixtures, test stands, and launch infrastructure.
• Own projects from requirements generation through design, structural analysis, material/component selection, procurement, fabrication, testing and activation.
• Develop 3D CAD models of bespoke components and assemblies.
• Perform structural analysis on components, weldments, and assemblies using FEA and hand calculations.
• Draft built-to-print drawings of parts, weldments, and assemblies using GD&T and company drawing standards.
• Host design reviews for internal customers and stakeholders to receive and incorporate feedback.
• Work with manufacturing engineers, fabricators, welders, and third party vendors to coordinate, execute, and troubleshoot builds.
• Develop and execute structural proof test plans and activation test plans to validate as-built design.
• Produce design documentation to communicate design intent, usability, operations, and maintenance.
• Use mechanical engineering principles to provide reliable and manufacturable solutions for technically challenging problems.
• Collaborate with Vehicle, Test, Manufacturing, Production, and Launch engineers and technicians to establish task scope and feasibility.
• Seek creative, novel, and different ways to accomplish outcomes.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's Degree in Mechanical Engineering or related engineering discipline.
• 0-2 years of focused, hands-on experience designing mechanical or structural systems.
• Strong understanding of statics, solid mechanics, and materials.
• Proficiency using CAD, preferably Siemens NX.
• Experience performing structural analysis of parts, weldments, and assemblies using FEA and hand calculations.
• Comprehension of mechanical design fundamentals including tolerancing, ASME Standards, ASTM, and GD&T.
• Knowledge of general fabrication, welding, machining and assembly practices.
• Able to balance detailed design tasks with project management tasks including budgeting, scheduling, and communications.
• Able to prioritize and execute tasks in a high-pressure, fast-paced environment.
• Works well in a collaborative, multidisciplinary environment.
• Willingness to travel in support of GSE activations at multiple Firefly locations up to 25% of the time.

Desired Qualifications

• Demonstrated creation of successful Ground Support Equipment or related structural designs, including welded structures, mechanisms, production and manufacturing tooling, test fixtures, or launch site infrastructure.
• Experience with professional or hobby grade building and tinkering (welding, woodworking, engine repair, etc).
• Comfortable using light tools and machinery (battery and air powered tools, forklifts).
• Experience with rigging and performing lift operations.
• Experience in an oil and gas, startup, or NewSpace environment.
• Familiarity with ASME, AWS, AISC, AFSPCMAN, and NASA standards related to GSE and structural design.

Employment Details

To conform to U.S. Government space technology export regulations, including the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (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.

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