Internship - Industrial Engineering - Summer 2026

ABOUT FIREFLY AEROSPACE

As an end-to-end responsive 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 North Austin, Texas, Firefly is looking for passionate, hardworking innovators to join our team and help fuel our successful trajectory into space.

SUMMARY

Firefly has year-round Industrial Engineering-focused internship opportunities for our location in Briggs, Texas. Both current undergrads and new graduates are encouraged to apply. As an Industrial Engineering Intern, you will work with Manufacturing, Quality, and Design Engineers as well as Production Planners and Operators to develop operating plans, conduct capacity and constraint-based analysis, develop and refine precedence networks, and conduct overall process effectiveness studies. You will also have opportunities to develop, implement, and improve processes focused on lowering costs and improving schedule performance and quality. Candidates should be comfortable working in a high-pressure, fast-paced environment and must be able to operate within a multi-functional team, coordinating with various departments.

RESPONSIBILITIES

• Model, analyze, design, and optimize production systems to enhance operational efficiency and improve quality using lean/industrial engineering tools & concepts (value stream mapping, capacity analysis, workflow design & precedence network)
• Prepare operations plans and precedence networks in support of execution planning, scheduling, and shop load practices.
• Perform capacity analysis, including “what-if” scenarios, in support of operations plans.
• Develop models, databases, and spreadsheets to analyze data and provide analysis and metrics for consultation to the factory execution team.
• Use engineering methods to support the development of optimal process designs and efficient utilization of resources in the creation and validation of operating plans.
• In coordination with the manufacturing engineering & factory operation functions, recommend process improvements to enhance schedule performance, lower cost, and improve safety, quality, and ergonomics, utilizing Lean and other Industrial Engineering concepts.
• Team with technicians, design engineering, manufacturing engineering, factory leadership, and other departments to gather data for process improvements.
• Develop and apply time and motion studies to optimize labor utilization and reduce production cycle time.
• Update durations and days required to build based on time studies and variance analysis in the Manufacturing Execution System (MES)

QUALIFICATIONS

Required:

• Must be currently enrolled in either a BS or MS Industrial Engineering, Operations Management, or related discipline (or a recent graduate) at an accredited four-year university or college.
• Willing to work in a hands-on, constantly evolving manufacturing environment
• Detail-oriented, managing multiple priorities while maintaining focus towards a common goal
• Communicates effectively, verbal and written
• Able to effectively prioritize and execute tasks
• Strong positive attitude, urgency, and ability to meet role requirements, with excellent interpersonal, leadership, and attention to detail skills
• Excel (Queries, Pivot, Scripts/Macros)

Desired:(PLEASE ADD – this will be used for screening apps)

Candidates should preferably have a focus in one of the following areas

• Operations research and optimization, manufacturing and production systems, data analytics and information systems
• Software: Coding, Siemens NX or other CAD package, Visio or other diagraming package, Jira, Confluence, Odoo or other ERP experience
• Familiarity with Manufacturing Operations, Manufacturing Planning, engineering drawings and specifications, and lean concepts (certifications preferred)

To conform to U.S. Government space technology export regulations, including the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR), you must be a U.S. citizen, a lawful permanent resident of the U.S., a protected individual as defined by 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3), or eligible to obtain the required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State.

Firefly Aerospace, Inc. is an Equal Opportunity Employer; employment with Firefly is governed based on merit, competence, and qualifications and will not be influenced in any manner by race, color, religion, gender, national origin/ethnicity, veteran status, disability status, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, mental or physical disability, or any other legally protected status.