Composites Manufacturing Engineer III

firefly; Town of Texas (WI); On-site; USD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health, dental and vision plans

Parental leave

Educational/relocation reimbursement

Flexible PTO

Job summary

Firefly Aerospace, headquartered near Austin, TX, seeks a Manufacturing Engineer for the Structures Department to advance tooling, fixtures, and production equipment for large carbon fiber aerospace components.

You will drive process improvements, optimize layouts, mentor junior engineers, and collaborate with design, manufacturing, and quality teams to meet cost, quality, and schedule targets.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering or a related field.
• 10 years’ experience in carbon fiber composite aerospace manufacturing.
• Strong technical aptitude and ability to quickly become an expert on complex hardware.
• Proficiency in CAD software for developing tooling and fixturing designs.
• Excellent communication skills and ability to collaborate with cross-functional teams.
• Demonstrated track record of driving process improvements in a fast-paced environment.
• High initiative, self-motivation, and ability to thrive in a dynamic work environment.
• Excellent problem-solving and analytical abilities.

Responsibilities

• Lead the design and development of tooling, fixtures, and production equipment for aerospace composite components.
• Continuously evaluate and enhance manufacturing processes, tooling, and fixtures to optimize efficiency, quality, and cost.
• Take ownership of hardware development and production processes, ensuring schedules are met and improvements are driven.
• Develop and implement innovative tooling/fixturing solutions to enhance efficiency and quality.
• Act as the primary contact for part expertise and fabrication guidance.
• Support manufacturing floor operations and collaborate with production teams to implement changes.
• Create detailed work instructions and procedures to standardize processes.

Skills

CAD proficiency

Problem solving

Cross-functional teamwork

Mechanical intuition

Aerospace manufacturing know-how

Education

Bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering

Tools

CAD software

Tooling & fixturing design software

Job description

ABOUT

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

We are seeking a highly motivated and dedicated Manufacturing Engineer to join our Structures Department. As part of a small, fast-paced, and passionate team you will be instrumental developing the world’s largest liquid fueled composite rocket and implementing full-rate production on our current vehicle and programs.

You will be responsible for developing tooling and fixtures for development programs as well as production programs, driving continuous improvement initiatives, optimizing processes, developing brand new processes, and providing technical expertise to enhance our production capabilities. This role will give you a wide variety of opportunities. This position requires a strong background in engineering, extensive experience with practical problem solving and the ability to learn quickly.

RESPONSIBILITIES

• Lead the design and development of tooling, fixtures, and production equipment necessary for the manufacturing of aerospace composite components. This includes selecting appropriate materials and manufacturing processes to meet specific aerospace industry standards.
• Continuously evaluate and enhance manufacturing processes, tooling, and fixtures to optimize efficiency, quality, and cost-effectiveness. Implement improvements to increase production capacity and reduce cycle times.
• Take ownership of hardware development and production processes, ensuring adherence to schedules and driving continuous improvements.
• Develop and implement innovative solutions for tooling and fixturing to enhance manufacturing efficiency and quality.
• Act as the primary point of contact for all aspects related to part expertise, including understanding intricacies of the hardware and providing guidance on its fabrication.
• Support manufacturing floor operations by actively engaging with production teams to identify areas for improvement and to implement necessary changes.
• Create detailed work instructions and procedures to standardize manufacturing processes and ensure consistency in product quality.
• Lead the resolution of nonconformance issues by assessing root causes and implementing corrective actions to bring parts back into compliance.
• Demonstrate exceptional problem-solving skills and a proactive approach to addressing challenges in a fast-paced environment.
• Work closely with cross-functional teams, including design, manufacturing, and quality, to ensure the seamless integration into the production process.
• Manage and oversee manufacturing programs, ensuring they meet quality, cost, and schedule requirements.
• Identify and address production challenges, implementing effective solutions to ensure the timely delivery of high-quality aerospace components.
• Implement and maintain rigorous quality control measures to meet industry standards and customer expectations.
• Identify cost‑saving opportunities and participate in cost reduction initiatives while maintaining product integrity.
• Champion a culture of continuous improvement, driving Lean and Six Sigma principles throughout the manufacturing process.
• Mentor less experienced engineers

QUALIFICATIONS

Required

• Bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering or a related Engineering field.
• 10 years’ experience in carbon fiber composite aerospace manufacturing
• Strong technical aptitude and ability to quickly become an expert on complex hardware.
• Proficiency in CAD software for developing tooling and fixturing designs.
• Excellent communication skills and ability to collaborate effectively with cross-functional teams.
• Demonstrated track record of driving process improvements and delivering results in a fast-paced environment.
• High level of initiative, self‑motivation, and ability to thrive in a dynamic and challenging work environment.
• Excellent problem-solving and analytical abilities.

Desired

• 5+ years working in a aerospace manufacturing or engineering environment with a bachelor’s degree in mechanical, aerospace, or similar area.
• Master's degree is a plus.
• Automated Fiber Placement experience
• Quick‑turn custom composite tooling design and fabrication
• Six Sigma or Lean manufacturing Black Belt certification

Firefly offers outstanding benefits for our employees, including generous health, dental and vision plans with low plan deductibles, parental leave, educational/relocation 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.