Senior Manager, Spacecraft Propulsion

ABOUT FIREFLY AEROSPACE

As an end-to-end space transportation company, Firefly Aerospace is on a mission to enable our world to launch, land, and operate in space – anywhere, anytime. Our launch vehicles, lunar landers, and orbital vehicles provide government and commercial customers with full mission services from low Earth orbit to the surface of the Moon and beyond. Headquartered in Cedar Park, just north of Austin, Texas, Firefly is looking for passionate, hardworking innovators to join our team and help fuel our successful trajectory into space.

The Senior Manager, Spacecraft Propulsion leads the design, development, test, qualification, and operation of spacecraft propulsion systems across Firefly’s Blue Ghost landers and Elytra spacecraft. The full spacecraft propulsion team includes an engine and thruster team, a fluid systems and valves team, and a thermal control systems team.

This role is responsible for delivering fully integrated, flight-ready propulsion systems while developing a high-performing team of engineers. The Senior Manager balances hands‑on technical leadership with people management, maintains ownership of hardware across the full lifecycle, and works closely with cross‑functional partners to ensure safe, reliable, and efficient spacecraft operations.

• Lead spacecraft propulsion system development from requirements definition through flight operations
• Manage and develop a multidisciplinary team responsible for engines, thrusters, fluid systems, valves, and thermal hardware
• Maintain technical ownership of propulsion hardware across design, analysis, manufacturing, test, qualification, and operations
• Serve as the primary technical authority for spacecraft propulsion systems
• Plan, coordinate, and execute development, qualification, and acceptance testing, including data review and anomaly resolution
• Collaborate with systems, structures, avionics, software, manufacturing, integration, quality, and test teams to ensure successful vehicle integration
• Drive performance, reliability, cost, and manufacturability through disciplined design and data‑driven decision‑making
• Identify and close technical risks through analysis, testing, and operational feedback
• Support spacecraft test campaigns and flight operations as needed
• Establish and maintain engineering standards, processes, and documentation for spacecraft propulsion systems

Required

• B.S. in Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or a related technical field
• 5+ years of experience in the design, development, and test of aerospace propulsion and/or fluid systems
• 3+ years of experience leading engineering teams, with demonstrated success delivering complex hardware programs
• Strong technical foundation in propulsion system design, fluid dynamics, combustion, thermodynamics, and thermal systems as well as a demonstrated ability to apply these first principles to arrive at simple, robust solutions
• Demonstrated experience owning hardware from early concept through testing, qualification, and operation
• Hands‑on experience driving performance, reliability, or design‑for‑manufacturability initiatives
• Deep understanding of storable propellant systems
• Working knowledge of relevant aerospace standards and requirements (e.g., SMC‑S‑016, SMC‑S‑025)
• Working knowledge of manufacturing, fabrication, integration, and quality control relevant to fluid components (such as machining, inspection, assembly, testing, etc.)
• Knowledge of fluid components such as valves, regulators, pressure transducers, tubing, pressurized hardware, seals, and instrumentation and experience performing fluid systems sizing analysis with such components
• Proven ability to rapidly develop solutions with partially defined or evolving requirements
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to represent propulsion programs to internal and external stakeholders

Desired Qualifications

• Advanced degree in Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or equivalent field
• Extensive experience developing monopropellant, bipropellant, or electric propulsion systems
• Experience with hypergolic systems and the associated operational…