Composites Operations Manager

Firefly Aerospace; United States; On-site; USD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

Firefly Aerospace in Austin, Texas seeks an Operations Manager - Composites to lead the Structures Manufacturing team that fabricates and manufactures composite hardware for Alpha, MLV, and Spacecraft programs. You will establish production metrics, drive continuous improvement, and ensure operations meet Firefly and AS9100 standards.

The role requires strong leadership, lean manufacturing experience, and the ability to scale processes as production grows.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree or 7+ years of industry experience.
• 5+ years of progressive leadership experience managing production teams.
• Proven track record of scaling manufacturing operations to full-rate production.

Responsibilities

• Lead and develop a multi-shift team of Supervisors, Leads, and technicians to deliver quality on time and on cost.
• Coach and mentor Supervisors and Leads to strengthen leadership and decision-making at the right level.
• Identify skill gaps and create growth paths, enabling technicians to advance.
• Provide regular feedback and performance conversations to recognize contributions and address gaps.
• Ensure resources, tools, and training are available and manage schedules and PTO to sustain critical operations.
• Foster a strong safety culture with proper handling of composites, resins, solvents, and chemicals.
• Ensure operations adhere to documentation and AS9100 standards.
• Maintain production schedules and drive continuous improvement across the team.
• Collaborate with planning, engineering, quality to align capacity and resolve bottlenecks.

Skills

Leadership

Lean manufacturing

Cross-functional leadership

Change management

People development

KPIs and metrics

Education

Bachelor's degree or equivalent

Job description

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.

About the Role

This is an exciting time to join Firefly and be a part of the Structures Manufacturing team! As the Operations Manager - Composites, this individual is responsible for leading the team that fabricates and manufactures composite hardware. This manufacturing area produces structures and components that feed our vehicle and propulsion systems across all of our programs here at Firefly, including Alpha, MLV, and Spacecraft. This is a challenging and rewarding role that is tasked with improving production in these manufacturing areas through the establishment and analysis of production metrics and goals, implementation of enhanced structure and standardization, and execution of continuous improvement initiatives.

What You'll Do

• Lead and develop a multi-shift team of Supervisors, Leads, and technicians to deliver quality product on time and on cost - building a culture of ownership, accountability, and continuous growth
• Coach and mentor Supervisors and Leads to strengthen their leadership, delegating authority and empowering the team to own their areas and make decisions at the right level
• Invest in employee development through your leaders by identifying skill gaps, building cross-training and growth paths, and creating opportunities for technicians to advance and qualify to higher levels of responsibility
• Provide regular, direct feedback and performance conversations that recognize strong contributions, address gaps early, and hold each level of the team accountable to clear, measurable expectations
• Ensure employees have the resources, tools, materials, and training to succeed, and manage schedules and PTO/timecards to sustain critical operations while balancing workload and engagement
• Build a strong safety culture where every employee is accountable for a safe shop - including proper handling of composite materials, resins, solvents, and chemicals, safe operation of autoclaves and ovens, and disciplined control of pre-preg out-time and shelf life
• Ensure all operations are performed to proper documentation and specifications, coaching the team to consistently meet Firefly and AS9100 standards
• Maintain and communicate the production schedule, empowering Supervisor/Leads to run their areas while fostering a continuous improvement mindset that engages technicians in improving their own processes
• Partner with planning, engineering, and quality to align on capacity and production plans, resolve bottlenecks and shortages, and implement solutions that improve production efficiency
• Develop long-term capacity plans (tooling, clean room, cure equipment) and KPIs that measure and report progress, drive team accountability, and inform labor, cost, and annual operating plans

What We're Looking For

Required Qualifications

• Bachelors degree or 7+ years of overall industry experience
• 5+ years of progressive leadership experience managing production teams, including leading through supervisors and leads
• Proven track record of scaling a manufacturing operation from development/low-rate production to full-rate or mass production, including maturing processes, structure, and throughput as volume grows
• Demonstrated success leading change management - standing up new structure, standards, and processes, and driving organizational change through to adoption on the floor
• Strong people leadership background with a track record of coaching, developing, and holding teams accountable while building a culture of ownership and engagement
• Experience driving lean manufacturing principles and developing production metrics, KPIs, and processes to measure and improve performance
• Proven ability to align cross-functionally - partnering across engineering, quality, planning, and supply chain, and driving success by influencing without authority while managing competing priorities

Desired Qualifications

• 3+ years of experience specifically within the aerospace/aviation industry
• Experience scaling a hardware or manufacturing business through a full production ramp, from prototype to serial production
• Experience with composites manufacturing processes such as material handling, tool preparation, hand/automated layup, bonding, vacuum bagging, autoclave and oven curing, trimming, and finishing
• Experience with composite inspection and non-destructive testing methods (e.g., ultrasonic, CT, or visual inspection)
• Experience creating production procedures and setting up and running production acceptance test processes

Primary Level Salary Range:

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

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.