GNC Engineer III (Trajectory), Alpha
Firefly Aerospace
About the role
GNC Engineer III Trajectory Alpha - Careers At Firefly Aerospace --> - - - - - Career Opportunities with Firefly Aerospace Come be a part of the 21 st Century Space Race! Careers At Firefly Aerospace --> --> Share with friends or Subscribe! Current job opportunities are posted here as they become available.
Subscribe to our RSS feeds to receive instant updates as new positions become available. > --> --> Back To Openings GNC Engineer III (Trajectory), Alpha Department: Aerospace Software Engineering Location: Cedar Park, TX START YOUR APPLICATION 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. As a Senior GNC Engineer specializing in trajectory design at Firefly, you will design and optimize trajectories and guidance algorithms for operational launch vehicles.
What you'll do
- Design, analyze, and optimize launch vehicle trajectories to maximize performance within operational and vehicle constraints
- Develop and implement launch vehicle guidance algorithms for powered ascent and orbital insertion
- Conduct statistical trajectory analysis to quantify performance margins and validate system robustness to off-nominal flight conditions
- Establish technical standards and validation methodologies for mission planning, trajectory design, and guidance algorithm verification
- Support business development activities including mission feasibility assessments, payload performance analysis, and customer mission concept development
- Develop mission analysis tools and automation pipelines to enable responsive design iteration
- Drive resolution of complex GNC challenges requiring deep technical expertise and rapid problem-solving
- Provide technical direction on system architecture and serve as subject matter expert for launch vehicle trajectories
- Mentor junior engineers in trajectory optimization and mission design
- Author technical documentation and analysis reports that communicate GNC concepts and results to diverse audiences
- Interface with cross-discipline teams to balance trajectory
- Track record of thought leadership through publications, presentations, or contributions to industry state-of-the-art Firefly offers outstanding
What you'll bring
- with vehicle capabilities and operational constraints
- Serve as a GNC console operator for launch operations and perform post-flight analysis to improve vehicle models
- Champion continuous improvement initiatives for GNC processes, tools, and operational efficiency
- Required
- Bachelor's degree in aerospace engineering, mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, computer science, or related field
- 5-10 years of experience in launch vehicle trajectory design, mission planning, or guidance algorithm development
- Advanced knowledge of launch vehicle flight mechanics and high-fidelity modeling of gravity, aerodynamics, and propulsion
- Strong understanding of numerical optimization and targeting methods applied to trajectory simulation and mission design
- Experience conducting mission trade studies, feasibility analysis, and performance verification for launch vehicle missions
- Familiarity with software development best practices including version control (Git), code documentation, and testing
Benefits
- for our employees, including generous health, dental and vision plans with low plan deductibles, parental leave, educational reimbursement, short term disability, and flexible PTO options.
- Government space technology export regulations, including the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) you must be a U.
- citizen, lawful permanent resident of the U.
- , protected individual as defined by 8 U.
- 1324b(a)(3), or eligible to obtain the required authorizations from the U.
About the employer
Employer; employment with Firefly is governed based on merit, competence and
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