Mission Architect, Space Superiority

ABOUT FIREFLY AEROSPACE

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

About the Role

As the Mission Architect, Space Superiority, you will be a Space Control and/or Space Domain Awareness subject matter expert (SME) overseeing mission architectures across Firefly’s Space Superiority portfolio. This role will be be 80% focused on new business efforts and 20% supporting active program efforts in a SME capacity. You will oversee all aspects of designing, developing, and fielding Space Superiority missions, including integration with ground and user segments. You will closely work with business development, directors, external customers, and other subject matter experts to shape the feasibility of new missions and architect existing missions. You will be integral to writing proposals, requirements definition, system design, integration & test, and on-orbit operations. Firefly is open to hiring individuals who cover one or both mission areas.

What You’ll Do

• Collaboratively lead interdisciplinary teams through advanced, complex technical projects for the design, development, integration, and testing of customer solutions, including developing concept of operations, mission requirements, and system architectures
• Support front-end business development efforts including customer engagement, white papers, proposals, and studies
• Maintain strong customer awareness and develop customer relationships in partnership with the business development team.
• Define architecture and system requirements for Space Control and/or Space Domain Awareness missions
• Lead modeling and simulation efforts to assess system performance
• Develop CONOPS at the spacecraft, constellation, and mission level
• Architect and implement Space Control and Space Domain Awareness solutions
• Lead internal technical projects and end-to-end engineering activities to meet the company’s strategic growth objectives
• Work with program execution teams as they mature their solutions through critical design review

What We’re Looking For

Required Qualifications:

Educational Background: Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Physics, or related field

Experience: 10+ years of experience in the space industry (7+ years with Master’s degree) with a minimum of 3 years’ experience in a mission architect role

Expertise:

• Deep knowledge of the space and small/medium satellite industries
• Deep knowledge of National Security Space (NSS) missions for both US DoW and IC, primarily in Space Control and/or Space Domain Awareness
• Strong background related to rendezvous and proximity operations, spacecraft autonomy, GNC, and mission architecture
• Demonstrated expertise in RPO mission design and spacecraft operations.
• Strong communication skills and the ability to effectively communicate with senior leadership and external customers about space systems
• Ability to develop strong interpersonal relationships both internally and externally
• Excellent leadership and management skills
• Strong team player that can collaborate across all levels and functions
• Ability to manage assignments and deadlines effectively
• Ability to teach and mentor teammates to improve overall team performance
• Professional with a high degree of integrity
• Active Top Secret security clearance

Desired Qualifications:

Educational Background: Master’s or PhD in engineering, Physics, or related field

Expertise:

• Active TS/SCI security clearance
• Experience with USG controlled access programs
• Strong understanding of and experience working space control and space domain awareness programs

Firefly offers outstanding 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.

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, lawful permanent resident of the U.S., 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