Fluids Engineer II

Firefly Aerospace•Briggs, TX

About The Position

As a Fluids Ground Support Equipment (FGSE) Engineer, you will own the lifecycle of fluid systems at Firefly’s launch sites, test stands, and production facilities. The role involves designing and building complex fluid systems, including incompressible, cryogenic, propellant, and high-pressure gas systems, and working closely with technicians, welders, and cross-functional teams to solve practical challenges. You will make technical decisions throughout the process, from architecture trades and detailed design through fabrication, installation, and activation, helping ensure launch sites and test stands meet current and future program needs. The position offers experience across Firefly’s Alpha, Eclipse, Elytra, and Blue Ghost programs. Travel to test and launch sites may be required to support builds and commissioning.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering, aerospace engineering, or equivalent.
2–5 years of recent professional experience 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, or pumps.
Working knowledge of manufacturing, fabrication, integration, and quality control relevant to fluid components, including machining, inspection, welding, assembly, and testing.
Demonstrated ability to perform clean-sheet designs of pressurization systems, propellant systems, or other complex multidisciplinary systems.
Experience creating P&IDs, performing fluid-system sizing, selecting fluid components and instrumentation, and designing pressurized systems.
Experience using fluids analysis tools such as REFPROP, GFSSP, or other computer-based fluid-dynamic modeling tools.
Proficiency with 3D and 2D CAD software packages such as Siemens NX.
Ability to balance detailed design tasks with higher-level project-management tasks, including budgeting, scheduling, and communications.
Ability to travel in support of GSE build and activation up to 30% of the time.
Must be a U.S. citizen, lawful permanent resident, protected individual as defined by 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3), or eligible to obtain the required U.S. Department of State authorizations to conform with U.S. Government space technology export regulations, including ITAR.

Nice To Haves

Advanced degree in mechanical engineering, aerospace engineering, or an equivalent field.
Direct hands-on experience building, troubleshooting, or operating complex fluid or mechanical systems.
Cryogenic system design or operational experience.
Hypergolic system design or operational experience.
Experience working in an aerospace, R&D, or oil and gas environment.
Familiarity with ASME, NASA, and AFSPCMAN standards related to fluid-system design, such as ASME B31.3, ASME BPVC Section VIII, or AFSPCMAN 91-710.
Direct experience designing and building ground support equipment or related fluid systems, including test environments, fluid or gas conditioning and storage, manufacturing processes, and compressible gases.

Responsibilities

Design, analyze, and build test stand and launch pad fluid systems, including incompressible, cryogenic, and high-pressure gas systems.
Own the full design cycle for fluid systems, including generating schematics and P&IDs, sizing components, generating bills of materials, creating CAD, procuring hardware, and generating drawings.
Work directly with technicians and welders to schedule, prepare, and build designs, and resolve real-world problems.
Participate in and lead internal design reviews and operational readiness reviews, and represent Firefly in external design reviews.
Travel to test and launch sites as required to support the build and commissioning of new and upgraded fluid systems.