GNC Engineer II

ABOUTFIREFLYAEROSPACE

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

As a GNC Engineer at Firefly, you will design, analyze, and operate the GNC systems of operational launch vehicles. In this role, you will develop GNC and simulation software, perform dynamic analyses, and support mission operations while continuing to build breadth across core GNC competencies. This position offers hands-on experience with launch vehicle ascent guidance, attitude control systems, and real-time flight operations in a fast-paced environment. You will deepen your technical capabilities and refine your desired career trajectory, taking ownership of system elements and software tools as you grow toward a senior GNC role at Firefly.

RESPONSIBILITIES

• Develop and validate GNC software to ensure successful launch vehicle mission execution
• Tune and configure attitude determination and control algorithms for all phases of launch vehicle flight
• Perform 6DOF dynamic analysis of nominal and dispersed ascent trajectories
• Develop and maintain simulation models for sensors, actuators, and environmental effects
• Create tools to automate workflows, process flight data, and generate technical reports
• Conduct stability analysis, sensitivity studies, and hardware-in-the-loop testing of GNC systems under nominal and off-nominal flight conditions
• Interface with cross-discipline teams to integrate GNC software with vehicle hardware
• Serve as a GNC console operator for launch operations and perform post-flight analysis to improve vehicle models
• Author technical documentation and analysis reports that communicate GNC concepts and results to diverse audiences
• Build proficiency across core GNC competencies while contributing to continuous improvement of GNC processes and tools

QUALIFICATIONS

Required

• Bachelor's degree in aerospace engineering, mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, physics, mathematics, computer science, or related field
• 2-5 years of professional experience in aerospace guidance, navigation, and control, or related technical discipline
• Understanding of launch vehicle flight mechanics and attitude dynamics
• Familiarity with numerical simulation techniques, integration methods, and modeling of dynamic systems
• Experience with Python for scripting, data analysis, and visualization
• Familiarity with C++ for real-time or flight-critical applications
• Understanding of software development best practices including version control (Git), code documentation, and testing
• Strong written and verbal communication skills

Desired

• Advanced degree (master's or PhD) in aerospace engineering or related field with focus on GNC, flight mechanics, or controls
• Experience supporting launch vehicle GNC across development, integration, and flight
• Proficiency in C++ for embedded systems or real-time applications
• Knowledge of state estimation techniques including Kalman filtering, sensor fusion, and covariance analysis
• Knowledge of numerical optimization and targeting methods applied to trajectory design
• Familiarity with modern flight software frameworks and real-time operating systems
• Familiarity with CI/CD workflows and automated testing practices
• Experience with Linux development environments and command-line tools
• Exposure to spaceflight mission operations or launch campaigns