Launch Operations Director — Spaceflight Campaigns

Firefly Aerospace; Lompoc (CA); On-site; USD 195,000 - 240,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health, dental & vision plans

Educational reimbursement

Short-term disability

Flexible PTO

Job summary

Firefly Aerospace seeks a highly motivated leader to shepherd our fast-paced Launch Operations and Facilities team through each launch cycle at Vandenberg. You will guide multi-disciplinary teams, manage schedules, and ensure safety and ITAR compliance in every operation.

The role requires a Bachelor’s in Engineering, 5+ years in aerospace leadership, and strong communication. Proficiency with Confluence/Jira and data tools is valued.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering or equivalent.
• Experience leading multi-disciplinary engineering and operations teams.
• 5+ years in aerospace leadership across complex systems.
• Strong communication in technical environments.
• Experience with Atlassian Confluence & Jira.
• Experience running console operations for integrated vehicle and pad operations.
• Knowledge of data viewing tools (Python, LabVIEW, MATLAB).
• Experience with launch vehicle development/operations.

Responsibilities

• Direct launch campaigns from pre-vehicle arrival to on-pad operations.
• Lead daily status meetings for campaigns and pad operations.
• Manage pad maintenance to maximize availability and reduce costs.
• Identify opportunities to shorten campaign durations.
• Ensure procedures and documentation are updated for upgrades.
• Develop weekly rhythms for maintenance and repairs.
• Create Integrated Master Schedule for vehicle and pad operations.
• Lead schedule reviews with Program Managers and leadership.
• Develop budgets to meet launch cadences and upgrades.
• Participate in hiring for launch operations and facilities teams.
• Coordinate with Safety teams to guarantee deliverables.

Skills

Leadership

Communication

Program management

Aerospace operations

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Engineering

Tools

Confluence

Jira

Python

LabVIEW

MATLAB

SVN/Bitbucket

Job description

Firefly Aerospace seeks a highly motivated leader to shepherd our fast-paced Launch Operations and Facilities team through each launch cycle at Vandenberg. You will guide multi-disciplinary teams, manage schedules, and ensure safety and ITAR compliance in every operation.

The role requires a Bachelor’s in Engineering, 5+ years in aerospace leadership, and strong communication. Proficiency with Confluence/Jira and data tools is valued.