Chief Engineer, Launch Vehicles

ABOUT FIREFLY AEROSPACE Firefly Aerospace is a space and defense technology company that enables our world to launch, land, and operate in space – anywhere, anytime. As the partner of choice for critical space missions, Firefly is the only commercial company to launch a satellite to orbit with 24-hour notice and the only company to achieve a successful Moon landing. Our launch vehicles, lunar landers, and orbital vehicles provide government and commercial customers with full mission services from low Earth orbit to the Moon and beyond.

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

SUMMARY Chief Engineering serves as the technical cornerstone of Firefly's space ecosystem vision, defining vehicle-level architecture and capabilities that reliably deliver missions from the surface of the Earth to the Moon and beyond. Chief Engineers are charged with integrating cutting-edge technologies with disciplined risk management to ensure mission success while maintaining the highest standards of engineering excellence. As guardians of Firefly's technical integrity, Chief Engineers bridge the gap between visionary concepts and operational reality, empowering our company to enable our world to launch, land, and operate in space.

Anytime.  this role, you will lead interdisciplinary optimization for your assigned program, serving as the customer-facing technical point of contact throughout the full mission lifecycle. You'll conduct system-level trades, analyze system commodity budgets, and develop innovative solutions that enhance vehicle capabilities. As the primary technical authority, you will ensure robust engineering rationale underpins all vehicle-level decisions, ultimately enabling Firefly to achieve its mission of making space accessible through reliable, innovative transportation systems.

Based at our Cedar Park headquarters, this position requires regular presence at our Production and Test facility in Briggs, TX as well as periodic travel to launch sites in Vandenberg, CA and Wallops Island, VA.RESPONSIBILITIES Define vehicle-level architecture, capabilities, specifications, operations, and interdisciplinary optimization in alignment with Firefly objectives

Influence and direct configuration requirements by conducting, evaluating, and leading system-level trades to drive innovation in vehicle design and functionality

Analyze and optimize mass, performance, power, and data budgets, ensuring technical feasibility and operational success

Chair vehicle-level design and milestone reviews, holding the team to the Firefly and Program standards to meet the risk posture of the program

Develop innovative solutions for vehicle design and operations, integrating modern technologies to improve program capabilities

Identify creative ways to achieve standardization and commonality of component selection and integrated system designs across Firefly programs/product lines

Own the technical risk posture for assigned program/product and missions as the authority for vehicle risk Actively reduce system vulnerabilities though robust root cause investigation, change management, corrective action, and risk mitigation/verification plans

Review and validate designs, work instructions, nonconformances, test plans, and test procedures across sub-systems

Manage program risks by identifying, mitigating, and tracking potential technical issues, while enabling cross-department/program communication of impacts risks and associated changes

Provide real time (on-console) support for integrated test and launch operations, working to resolve live anomalies during mission operations

Lead interdisciplinary efforts in coordination with Business Development, Engineering, Program Management, and Operations for your assigned program/product

Collaborate with Production, Integration, and Quality Assurance departments to ensure seamless operations

Act as the primary technical point of contact for customers, vendors, and program partners across the full lifecycle (from proposal through end of mission data reviews)
Represent Firefly at conferences, reviews, and investor meetings

Lead Mission Readiness and Data Reviews to ensure the vehicle and personnel are ready to support missions for assigned program/product

Provide technical mentorship to the team and facilitate the training pipeline for the Chief Engineering teamBASIC QUALIFICATIONS Required

Bachelor's degree in…