Instrumentation & Controls Manager Engineering GSE

Firefly Aerospace; Briggs (TX); On-site; USD 140,000 - 210,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health, Dental & Vision Plans

Relocation Benefits

Educational Reimbursement

Flexible PTO

Job summary

Firefly Aerospace, Inc. is seeking an experienced Engineering Leader to oversee ground systems instrumentation and control for our next generation launch vehicles.

You will mentor up to 10 engineers, drive technical excellence, and ensure timely delivery of test equipment and data systems. The role requires a strong background in electrical engineering, hands-on testing, and cross-functional collaboration with design, safety, and operations teams.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or related field.
• Minimum 5 years in integration/testing of process control systems or launch systems.
• Minimum 2 years of direct management or team leadership experience.
• Strong electrical fundamentals with hands-on measurement tools.
• Experience with sensors (thermocouples, RTDs, strain gauges, etc).
• Excellent communication, planning, and organizational skills.
• Ability to work with interdisciplinary teams.

Responsibilities

• Lead & mentor a team of engineers designing instrumentation/control systems for ground systems of launch vehicles and spacecraft.
• Recruit and retain engineering talent with a passion for space access.
• Set goals, provide feedback, conduct performance reviews, and foster a positive team culture.
• Promote technical excellence and continuous improvement in hardware/software workflows.
• Define project scope, milestones, and resource allocation.
• Oversee design, testing, and deployment of control/instrumentation systems.
• Review and approve instrument drawings and cable schedules.
• Diagnose and resolve complex electrical issues in Integration, Test, and Launch.

Skills

Leadership

Project management

Communication

Interdisciplinary collaboration

Troubleshooting

Education

Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering

Related technical discipline

Tools

DMMs

Oscilloscopes

LabVIEW

PLC/FPGA

Job description

About Firefly AerospaceFirefly 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 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.

Key Responsibilities

Team Leadership & Management

• Lead & mentor a team of up to 10 engineers as they design, implement, and troubleshoot modern instrumentation and control systems for the ground systems of tomorrow’s launch vehicles and spacecraft
• Recruit, develop, and retain top engineering talent with passion for advancing space access
• Set clear goals, provide regular feedback, align individual development with company targets, conduct performance reviews, and nurture a healthy and challenging team culture
• Inspire and nurture a culture of technical excellence, innovation, and continuous improvement by challenging hardware and software norms and developing more effective workspaces & tools
• Define and manage project definition, project milestones, hand-off, and resource allocation forecasts

Technical Leadership

• Oversee the design, development, testing, and deployment of GSE control and instrumentation systems including:Functional test systems and automated test equipment (ATE)Data acquisition systems and signal conditioningControl panels, junction panels, and vehicle umbilical/quick disconnect systemsSensor integration (thermocouples, RTDs, strain gauges, pressure transducers, etc) for development
• Review & approve instrumentation and control system drawing packages including, but not limited to:Control & I/O diagramsInstrument and control cable schedulesInstrument Loop DiagramsJunction box and control panel wiring diagrams
• Diagnose and resolve complex electrical problems in Integration, Test, and Launch systems
• Support Test execution/troubleshooting and validate functional testing configurations
• Review & analyze test data to ensure the highest quality test data and accuracy
• Ensure compliance with aerospace quality standards, safety requirements, and local regulations

Cross Functional Collaboration

• Coordinate and manage relationships with interdisciplinary teams to set project requirements, coordinate on complex construction projects (new Test Stands, Launch Sites, vehicle transport systems, etc), manage scope creep, and balance technical rigor with program urgency
• Manage capital budgets for Ground Support projects

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or related technical discipline
• Minimum 5 years of experience in integration and/or testing of process control systems, spacecraft test equipment, or launch systems.
• Minimum 2 years of direct management experience or team leadership experience
• Strong electrical fundamentals with hands-on experience using DMMs, power supplies, oscilloscopes, and small ADC/DAC circuits.
• Working knowledge of common electrical sensors (thermocouples, RTDs, strain gauges, pressure transducers, encoders, load cells etc)
• Excellent communication, planning, and organizational skills
• Demonstrated ability and desire to work with interdisciplinary teams

Preferred Qualifications

• Spacecraft / Launch Vehicle test and validation experience
• Experience with launch site operations and GSE deployment
• Experience programming PLCs/FPGAs
• Experience programming and implementing HMIs (human machine interfaces)
• Proficiency with motion controllers, signal conditioners, or data acquisition systems (National instruments, etc.)
• Ability to write and simulate automated testing scripts in LabVIEW, Python, or similar
• Familiarity with MIL-STD specifications and aerospace quality standards (AS9100, NASA)
• A balanced sense of urgency and risk management style to handle interdisciplinary conflicts as they arise.
• Experience managing vendor relationships and external contractors

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.