Propulsion Engineer - Alpha Turbopumps

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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. As the partner of choice for critical space missions, 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.

Headquartered in north Austin, Texas, Firefly is looking for passionate, hardworking innovators to join our team and help fuel our successful trajectory into space.

ABOUT THE ROLE

The Alpha Engines team is responsible for the design, integration, and operation of the Reaver and Lightning engines that power the first and second stages of Firefly's Alpha launch vehicle. As the Turbopump Assembly Responsible Engineer, you will own turbo machinery hardware across its full lifecycle — requirements definition, design, analysis, development, test, qualification, and flight. You will lead the design and analysis efforts of the hardware, collaborate with fabrication and integration teams to manufacture and assemble the system, and support testing and flight operations.

You will serve as a turbo machinery subject matter expert for the Alpha Engines team and provide an active voice in engine development, test campaigns, and launch operations.

This role requires deep technical knowledge of rotating machinery, extreme ownership of hardware from concept to flight, and clear communication with cross-functional partners including propulsion, structures, avionics, and vehicle systems. The successful candidate will be a self-starter who enjoys challenging assumptions, thrives in a fast-paced development environment, and seeks to make impactful contributions to Firefly's mission.

Responsibilities

Demonstrate full ownership of turbopump hardware through the full product life cycle

Own the fluid and mechanical design of turbopump components to meet operational requirements

Lead design improvement efforts emphasizing reliability and manufacturability upgrades

Drive all analyses for turbopump hardware for including fluid, structural, thermal, and dynamic

Develop and maintain first-principles tools and models to predict turbopump performance and operability

Own tolerance stackups, databooks, and as-built conformance; collaborate with manufacturing and quality to ensure assembled turbopumps meet design intent

Plan, coordinate, and execute component and assembly development, qualification, and acceptance testing — defining test configurations and procedures, supporting execution, and leading data review and anomaly resolution

Author and present design review, test readiness, and data review presentations to internal and external stakeholders

Identify system-level risks, perform trade studies, and drive decisions based on technical merit, risk, cost, schedule, and quality to ensure successful engine and vehicle operation

Provide hands-on support for turbopump and engine manufacturing and assembly and assist dispositioning of non-conformances and drive corrective actions

Lead development of innovative design concepts that reduce complexity, part count, cost, and lead time while maximizing reliability within program constraints

Serve as the turbo machinery representative for Alpha engine testing, stage testing, and launch operations

Qualifications

Required

B.S. in Mechanical, Aerospace, or a related engineering discipline

We have multiple opportunities at appropriate levels for applicants with 2–10+ years of experience

Fundamental understanding of rotating machinery

Strong understanding of fluid dynamics, thermodynamics, heat transfer, and solid mechanics

Deep knowledge of engineering fundamentals and a demonstrated history of applying first principles to arrive at simple, robust solutions

Hands-on experience with hardware design, fabrication, and testing

Proven experience with CAD and configuration management tools (Siemens NX and Teamcenter preferred), including management of large assemblies, and comprehension of GD&T, tolerancing, and ASME Y14.5

Familiarity with Python, MATLAB, LabVIEW, GFSSP, or other control, data acquisition, and reduction software

Working knowledge of manufacturing and…