Deputy Director, Mechanical Engineering

Job description

ABOUT FIREFLY AEROSPACE 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 The Mechanical Engineering Deputy Director will provide technical leadership for mechanical, architectural, and structural design and analysis of Firefly’s launch vehicle and spacecraft products. This role ensures consistent engineering rigor, sound technical decision-making, and disciplined execution across structures, mechanisms, loads & dynamics, stress analysis, and integrated mechanical systems. The Deputy Director partners closely with the Director of Mechanical Engineering and program leadership to support development, test, production, and flight readiness. The role owns technical decisions, engineering standards, change activity, production support, escalation paths and mentoring engineers - while enabling teams to execute efficiently and independently. RESPONSIBILITIES Technical Authority & Decision Ownership Serve as technical authority and approver for mechanical hardware decisions, including design changes, ECOs/CRs, and release packages; ensure trades, assumptions, analyses, and test data are technically sound and defensible. Lead and arbitrate cross-disciplinary technical trades impacting vehicle performance, reliability, manufacturability, and certification. Own mechanical and structural requirements, verification methods, compliance evidence, and acceptance criteria. Analysis, Verification & Test Rigor Guide and approve analysis methodologies and reports, including FEA, classical hand calculations, margins philosophy, loads & dynamics, and test correlation. Drive hardware development and qualification test definition, standards, and guidelines. Provide technical oversight of test operations, including test readiness reviews and evaluation of test plans for thoroughness, quality, and adherence to applicable standards. Execution Support & Issue Resolution Partner with Manufacturing, Reliability/Quality, and Program teams to resolve integration, build, and production issues and ensure integration-ready hardware. Maintain engineering rigor through change activity, NCRs, RCCAs, and anomaly investigations. Continuous Improvement & Engineering Standards Ensure lessons learned and test findings are incorporated into future standards and designs. Drive continuous improvement in engineering quality, reliability, cost, and lead-time. Technical Leadership & Cross-Functional Collaboration Provide technical leadership and mentorship to mechanical engineering teams, elevating technical judgment, review readiness, and overall engineering quality. Collaborate effectively with other technical and support organizations to optimize workflow and execution across the company. QUALIFICATIONS Required Education & Experience B.S. in Aerospace, Mechanical, or related engineering field. 10+ years of experience in mechanical and/or structural design, analysis, and qualification for aerospace systems. Technical Authority & Engineering Judgment Demonstrated experience owning technical decisions, design reviews, change control, and NCR/RCCA disposition. Proven ability to translate complex technical problems into clear, defensible engineering decisions backed by physics, data, and sound judgment. Analysis, Structures, & Verification Deep understanding of: FEM/FEA and classical hand analysis and verification methods Structural mechanics and load paths Materials and fracture mechanics Loads and Dynamic Analysis and testing Configuration control and compliance evidence Manufacturing & Materials Working knowledge of composite manufacturing methods, material selection, testing, characterization, and allowables development. Technical Leadership & Rigor Strong documentation rigor and configuration control discipline; sets the standard for technical quality. Track record of elevating engineering teams through mentorship, technical leadership, and raising the bar on review readiness. Desired Advanced Expertise M.S. or PhD in a relevant discipline. Experience serving as a Chief Engineer, technical authority, or structural signatory for launch vehicle or spacecraft flight programs. Expertise in advanced structures, such as composites, bonded assemblies, cryogenic tanks, reusable structures, or high-rate production environments. Cross-Disciplinary & Tools Strong cross-disciplinary instincts; able to connect structures decisions to propulsion, mechanisms, loads & dynamics, and integration constraints. Strong design and