HSE Engineer III - Process Safety Management

Firefly Aerospace, Inc.

Texas

On-site

USD 110,000 - 160,000

Full time

3 days ago

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Benefits offered by this job

Unlimited PTO for exempt employees

3-month sabbatical for every 5 years

Medical, dental, vision, life, and-dis

Mental health services

Paid military leave

12 weeks paid maternity leave

4 weeks paid spouse leave

$20k towards family planning: fertilit

Dog friendly workplace

$10k/year towards trade school or col

Ongoing coaching to advance leadership

Employee-ownership with stock bonuses

4% Safe Harbor 401(k) matching

$10k bonus for home purchase in Cedar?

Job summary

Firefly Aerospace, Inc. is seeking an experienced HSE Specialist III to lead environmental, health, safety, and Process Safety Management for ground support and propulsion test systems at Briggs, Texas.

You will guide risk reduction, regulatory compliance, and incident investigations to safeguard complex test operations. The role requires extensive PSM knowledge, experience with high-hazard operations, and collaboration across engineering, operations, and management to embed safety into design

Qualifications

Bachelor’s degree in Occupational Health & Safety, Environmental Science, Engineering, Industrial Hygiene, Chemical Engineering, or related technical field.
5+ years of progressive HSE experience supporting high-hazard industrial, aerospace, chemical processing, petrochemical, defense, or energy operations.
3+ years of direct Process Safety Management (PSM) experience supporting highly hazardous chemical or propulsion-related operations.
Formal training or certification in Process Hazard Analysis (PHA), HAZOP facilitation, or Layer of Protection Analysis (LOPA).
Strong knowledge of OSHA Process Safety Management (29 CFR 1910.119) requirements and risk management principles.

Responsibilities

Lead development, implementation, and continuous improvement of enterprise-wide HSE and Process Safety Management (PSM) programs supporting propulsion testing, hazardous operations, and launch activities.
Serve as the senior HSE and PSM subject matter expert for high-risk aerospace operations involving propellants, cryogenics, pressure systems, hazardous chemicals, and energized systems.
Manage and maintain OSHA Process Safety Management (29 CFR 1910.119) program elements for applicable highly hazardous chemical processes and operations.
Facilitate and participate in Process Hazard Analyses (PHA), What-If analyses, HAZOPs, Layer of Protection Analysis (LOPA), and other formal risk assessments for hazardous systems and operations.
Partner with engineering and operations teams to ensure process safety considerations are incorporated into system design, modifications, Management of Change (MOC), and operational readiness activities.
Lead incident investigations, root cause analyses, corrective action development, and lessons learned implementation for safety, environmental, operational, and process safety events.
Develop and maintain PSM documentation including operating procedures, safe work practices, process safety information (PSI), mechanical integrity records, and compliance audits.
Support Pre-Startup Safety Reviews (PSSR) for new systems, facility modifications, and operational changes involving hazardous materials or energy systems.
Conduct advanced hazard analyses including Job Hazard Analysis (JHA), Operating & Support Hazard Analysis (O&SHA), and operational risk assessments.
Lead development, implementation, and oversight of emergency response plans and incident command activities related to hazardous operations and propulsion systems.
Manage regulatory compliance programs related to OSHA, EPA, DOT, RCRA, SPCC, hazardous waste, air permitting, chemical inventory reporting, and environmental compliance obligations.
Serve as the primary interface with regulatory agencies, auditors, emergency responders, and external safety organizations.
Provide launch and test operation safety oversight in coordination with mission management, Range Safety, Fire Department personnel, and engineering teams.
Mentor junior HSE personnel and provide technical guidance to operational teams and contractors.
Develop and deliver advanced safety and process safety training programs including PSM awareness, Lockout/Tagout, Confined Space Entry, Fall Protection, Hazard Communication, Respiratory Protection, and Emergency Response.
Evaluate contractor and subcontractor compliance with Firefly safety requirements and regulatory standards.
Track and trend safety performance metrics, audit findings, near misses, corrective actions, and OSHA recordkeeping requirements.
Participate in test readiness reviews, operational readiness reviews, and safety review boards.
Support continuous improvement initiatives through audits, inspections, safety observations, and corrective action management systems.
Travel to launch, manufacturing, and test facilities as required to support Firefly operations.

Skills

PSM expertise

HAZOP

Emergency response

Regulatory compliance

Leadership

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Occupational Health & Safety

Tools

CSP certification

PSM programs

Job description

At Firefly, we’re focused on making space attainable for everyone – including you! Each team member’s passion, dedication, and innovative ideas have a direct impact on fueling our successful trajectory into space. And there’s no shortage of meaningful projects to work on at Firefly. With launch, lunar, and orbital vehicles, Firefly has a diverse line of business with opportunities to get hands-on experience launching rockets, operating in space, and landing on the Moon.

Our missions are powered by our incredible team ...

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What does SciTec bring to the Firefly family?
...

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Peep our Elytra orbiter being assembled in the ...

Peep our Elyta orbiter being assembled in the ...

703 3

Start your week with another Manufacturing Minute! ...

434 13

This World Space Week, remember to look up and ...

The engine powering Alpha`s first stage is truly ...

847 4

Our Values

Headquartered in the Lone Star State, Firefly’s hardworking team reflects Texas’ GO BIG culture in everything we do. We build big, achieve big, and dream big. We’re building launch vehicles and spacecraft to provide rapid, reliable space access. We’ve achieved some incredible wins, including the first successful commercial Moon landing. And we’re dreaming bigger than this planet with ambitions to Mars, Venus, and beyond. Our core values are what drive us along the way.

Passion

Fireflies believe in perseverance, responsiveness, and mentoring others with a focus on inspiring a better future.

Accountability

Fireflies act with integrity and take ownership of our actions, commitments, decisions, and outcomes.

Fireflies work in alignment across teams and communicate clearly with mutual respect for one another.

Fireflies deliver high-quality work through technical rigor and timely disciplined execution for our customers.

We take care of our Fireflies with some of the best benefits in the industry. Our mission to make space for everyone starts with our employees and allowing them to make space for their family, their career, and their future.

Space for You

Unlimited PTO for exempt employees
3-month sabbatical for every 5 years of service
Medical, dental, vision, life, and disability insurance
Mental health services
Paid military leave

Space for Your Family

12 weeks paid maternity leave
4 weeks paid spouse leave
$20k towards family planning: fertility, surrogacy, adoption
Dog friendly workplace

Space for Your Career

$10k/year towards trade school or college
Ongoing coaching to advance leadership skills
Employee-ownership with stock bonuses
4% Safe Harbor 401(k) matching
$10k bonus for home purchase in Cedar Park, Texas

Job Openings

From launch technicians to propulsion engineers, Firefly has open roles across the company. We’re looking for passionate, bright innovators to join our team and help make space an achievable dream for everyone.

HSE Engineer III - Process Safety Management

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.

SUMMARY

The HSE Specialist III serves as a senior technical authority responsible for leading environmental, health, safety, and Process Safety Management (PSM) support for Ground Support Equipment (GSE), propulsion test systems, and test operations at Firefly Aerospace’s Briggs, Texas facility.

This role provides strategic oversight and technical guidance for high-hazard operations involving cryogenic systems, pressure systems, hazardous chemicals, propellants, fluid systems, energized equipment, and complex test infrastructure. The HSE Specialist III partners closely with GSE Engineering, Test Operations, Facilities, Propulsion, and Maintenance teams to ensure safe design, installation, operation, maintenance, and modification of test stands and associated support systems.

The position is responsible for driving operational risk reduction, regulatory compliance, emergency preparedness, and continuous improvement initiatives across test and GSE operations. This individual will lead hazard analyses, support process safety initiatives, oversee contractor and operational safety compliance, and ensure that safety requirements are integrated into all phases of test planning and execution.

This role is expected to operate with minimal supervision, provide mentorship to junior HSE personnel, influence organizational safety culture, and serve as a key safety partner supporting Firefly’s fast-paced development and test environment.

This position is located in our Briggs, Texas location

RESPONSIBILITIES

Lead development, implementation, and continuous improvement of enterprise-wide HSE and Process Safety Management (PSM) programs supporting propulsion testing, hazardous operations, and launch activities.
Serve as the senior HSE and PSM subject matter expert for high-risk aerospace operations involving propellants, cryogenics, pressure systems, hazardous chemicals, and energized systems.
Manage and maintain OSHA Process Safety Management (29 CFR 1910.119) program elements for applicable highly hazardous chemical processes and operations.
Facilitate and participate in Process Hazard Analyses (PHA), What-If analyses, HAZOPs, Layer of Protection Analysis (LOPA), and other formal risk assessments for hazardous systems and operations.
Partner with engineering and operations teams to ensure process safety considerations are incorporated into system design, modifications, Management of Change (MOC), and operational readiness activities.
Lead incident investigations, root cause analyses, corrective action development, and lessons learned implementation for safety, environmental, operational, and process safety events.
Develop and maintain PSM documentation including operating procedures, safe work practices, process safety information (PSI), mechanical integrity records, and compliance audits.
Support Pre-Startup Safety Reviews (PSSR) for new systems, facility modifications, and operational changes involving hazardous materials or energy systems.
Conduct advanced hazard analyses including Job Hazard Analysis (JHA), Operating & Support Hazard Analysis (O&SHA), and operational risk assessments.
Lead development, implementation, and oversight of emergency response plans and incident command activities related to hazardous operations and propulsion systems.
Manage regulatory compliance programs related to OSHA, EPA, DOT, RCRA, SPCC, hazardous waste, air permitting, chemical inventory reporting, and environmental compliance obligations.
Serve as the primary interface with regulatory agencies, auditors, emergency responders, and external safety organizations.
Provide launch and test operation safety oversight in coordination with mission management, Range Safety, Fire Department personnel, and engineering teams.
Mentor junior HSE personnel and provide technical guidance to operational teams and contractors.
Develop and deliver advanced safety and process safety training programs including PSM awareness, Lockout/Tagout, Confined Space Entry, Fall Protection, Hazard Communication, Respiratory Protection, and Emergency Response.
Evaluate contractor and subcontractor compliance with Firefly safety requirements and regulatory standards.
Track and trend safety performance metrics, audit findings, near misses, corrective actions, and OSHA recordkeeping requirements.
Participate in test readiness reviews, operational readiness reviews, and safety review boards.
Support continuous improvement initiatives through audits, inspections, safety observations, and corrective action management systems.
Travel to launch, manufacturing, and test facilities as required to support Firefly operations.

QUALIFICATIONS

Required

Bachelor’s degree in Occupational Health & Safety, Environmental Science, Engineering, Industrial Hygiene, Chemical Engineering, or related technical field.
5+ years of progressive HSE experience supporting high-hazard industrial, aerospace, chemical processing, petrochemical, defense, or energy operations.
3+ years of direct Process Safety Management (PSM) experience supporting highly hazardous chemical or propulsion-related operations.
Formal training or certification in Process Hazard Analysis (PHA), HAZOP facilitation, or Layer of Protection Analysis (LOPA).
Strong knowledge of OSHA Process Safety Management (29 CFR 1910.119) requirements and risk management principles.
Experience participating in or facilitating Process Hazard Analyses (PHA), HAZOPs, Management of Change (MOC), and Pre-Startup Safety Reviews (PSSR).
Advanced knowledge of OSHA, EPA, DOT, NFPA, ANSI, and hazardous materials regulations.
Demonstrated experience leading incident investigations and root cause analysis methodologies.
Experience developing and implementing emergency response plans and safety management systems.
Strong understanding of hazardous energy control, confined space entry, cryogenic systems, pressure systems, hazardous waste management, contractor safety management, and mechanical integrity programs.
Ability to lead cross-functional teams and influence operational decision-making.
Strong written and verbal communication skills with experience presenting to leadership teams.
Certified Safety Professional (CSP), Certified Process Safety Professional, Certified Hazardous Materials Manager, or equivalent certification.
Aerospace, launch operations, propulsion testing, or chemical processing experience.
Experience supporting explosive, energetic, ordnance, or propellant operations.
Experience implementing or auditing PSM programs in high-hazard operations.
Familiarity with mechanical integrity programs and pressure system safety requirements.
Prior Emergency Response Commander or Incident Commander certification.
Experience with ISO 14001 and ISO 45001 management systems.
Experience participating in Failure Review Boards, Mishap Investigation Boards, or operational readiness reviews.
Familiarity with human factors engineering and ergonomic risk reduction practices.

Additional Requirements

Must be willing to work extended hours, weekends, holidays, and off-shift schedules in support of test or launch operations.
Must be capable of supporting field operations in outdoor environments and varying weather conditions.
Ability to climb ladders, access elevated platforms, wear respiratory protection, and support physically demanding operational activities.
Ability to travel as required between operational sites.

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.

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