Fluids Engineer II

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.

SUMMARYAs a Fluids Ground Support Equipment (FGSE) Engineer at Firefly, you'll own the complete lifecycle of critical fluid systems at our launch sites, test stands, and production facilities. You'll work in a dynamic and collaborative environment designing and building large complex fluid systems, including in compressible, cryogenics, propellants, and high-pressure gas systems. You’ll be solving real-world problems in real-time alongside skilled technicians, welders, and cross-functional teams.

From architecture trades and detailed designs through fabrication, installation, and activation, you'll be the technical decision-maker ensuring Firefly's launch sites and test stands meet the current and future needs for each of Firefly’s programs.

This role offers exposure across Firefly's entire fleet - Alpha, Eclipse, Elytra, and Blue Ghost - giving you an unparalleled breadth of experiences and challenges as you help define the next generation of test and launch infrastructure.

RESPONSIBILITIES Design, analyze, and build test stand and launch pad fluid systems, including in compressible, cryogenic, and high-pressure gas systems

Own the full design cycle of your fluid systems, including generating schematics and P&IDs, sizing components, generating BOMs, creating CAD, procuring hardware, and generating drawings

Work directly with technicians and welders to schedule, prepare, and build your designs and fix real-world problems

Participate in and lead internal design reviews, operational readiness reviews, and represent Firefly during external design reviews

Travel to test and launch sites, as required, to support build and commissioning of new and upgraded fluid systemQUALIFICATIONSRequired

Bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering, aerospace engineering, or equivalent2-5 years of recent experience in a professional setting outside the classroom with fluid systems, pneumatics, hydraulics, or HVAC systems in a design, assembly, test, or operations capacity

Thorough understanding of fluid dynamics and thermodynamics

Solid understanding of fluid components such as valves, regulators, pressure transducers, tubing, tanks, pressurized hardware, seals, and instrumentation

Experience with fluid system subcomponent or pressurized component development, design, or testing (such as valves, regulators, piping systems, pumps, etc..)Working knowledge of manufacturing, fabrication, integration & quality control relevant to fluid components (such as machining, inspection, welding, assembly, testing, etc.)Demonstrated ability to do clean sheet designs of pressurization systems, propellant systems, or other complex multidisciplinary systems

Experience creating P&IDs, performing fluid system sizing, fluid component and instrumentation selection, and pressurized system design

Experience using fluids analysis tools such as REFPROP, GFSSP or other computer-based fluid dynamic modeling

Proficient with 3D & 2D CAD software packages such as Siemens NXCapable of balancing detailed design tasks with higher level project management…