Mechanical Engineering Lead - Avionics

Job description

ABOUT 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. SUMMARY Firefly Avionics Mechanical Engineers leverage their creative design and deep industry experience to develop electronics enclosures, mechanical components, integration hardware, tooling, and test fixtures for launch vehicles. As the lead, you will be expected to own complex avionics subsystems, lead design architectures, and mentor junior engineers. Qualified candidates will be responsible for the full product lifecycle—including advanced design, rigorous analysis, hands-on build/integration, and qualification testing. You will be a key technical voice within the avionics team and will collaborate heavily with multidisciplinary teams across the company to ensure mission success. RESPONSIBILITIES Lead design and architecture of ruggedized electronics packaging and structural components for PCB assemblies used in launch vehicle and spacecraft applications. Design and optimize complex electro-mechanical assemblies for extreme thermal and dynamic environments, EMI/EMC compatibility, and radiation resistance. Perform and review advanced thermal analyses (steady-state, transient, and thermal cycling) of electronics in space environments. Perform and review modal, random vibration, and shock analyses of electronic assemblies to ensure structural integrity during launch. Oversee the design of high-reliability test fixturing and ground support equipment (GSE) for launch vehicle and spacecraft electronics. Define, execute, and lead vibration, shock, and thermal vacuum (TVAC) environmental test campaigns for product qualification and acceptance. Drive the creation of CAD models, engineering drawings, and technical documentation; lead formal design reviews (PDR, CDR) and present to leadership. Partner closely with the PCB design team to establish mounting strategies, keep-outs, tolerance stack-ups, connector placement, and advanced thermal management solutions. Mentor and guide junior and mid-level engineers, establishing design best practices and reviewing their technical work. QUALIFICATIONS Required Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or a related technical field. 5+ years of professional industry experience designing high-reliability electronics packaging and electro-mechanical assemblies (preferably in aerospace, defense, or automotive). 3D CAD design (NX preferred) and geometric dimensioning and tolerancing. Proven track record of taking complex electro-mechanical products from initial concept through environmental qualification and production. Desired Proficiency with NX CAD and finite element analysis (FEA) tools such as ANSYS. Experience with multi-layer PCBA enclosure design, including complex thermal interface materials (TIMs) and CTE analysis. Strong understanding of structural and thermal calculations, including vent analyses, EMI/EMC shielding, worst-case tolerance stack-ups, bolt pre-loads, and Steinberg PCB solder joint fatigue life predictions. Systems-level understanding of launch vehicle architectures, instrumentation interfaces, and avionics master networks. Expert knowledge of manufacturing methodologies (5-axis CNC machining, sheet metal, additive manufacturing) and material/plating selection for spaceflight environments. Experience interfacing with external vendors and manufacturing partners to resolve DFM issues and expedite production.