Launch Operations Lead, Propulsion & Pad Systems

Firefly Aerospace; Vandenberg Air Force Base Launch Facility 02 (CA); On-site; USD 145,000 - 175,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Relocation benefits

Educational reimbursement

Health, dental & vision plans

Job summary

Firefly Aerospace, based near Vandenberg, is seeking a technical manager to lead propulsion, fluids, electrical and mechanical engineers at the launch pad. You will oversee operation, maintenance, upgrades and readiness for launch campaigns.

The role requires a Bachelor's in engineering, 5+ years of hands-on fluids/electrical systems experience, and 2+ years of people management. It offers relocation benefits and a path to leadership within the Launch Operations team.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in mechanical or aerospace engineering.
• 5+ years hands-on experience with fluids systems, pneumatic systems, mechanisms, hydraulic systems, electrical systems, tooling, flight hardware or test operations.
• 2+ years of managing personnel.
• Experience designing, building, troubleshooting and/or operating complex fluid or pneumatic systems in an operational or project environment.
• Ability to create and interpret engineering documentation including drawings, P&ID schematics and test data.
• Able to prioritize and execute tasks in a high pressure fast-paced environment.

Responsibilities

• Lead operation, maintenance and testing of the launch pad fluids, pneumatic mechanical, and electrical systems.
• Facilitate hiring, training, and onboarding activities for the launch operations engineering team
• Guide design reviews and collaborate with multidisciplinary teams including design engineers, technicians, external partners, and site personnel to drive system upgrades, streamline operations, and validate system readiness and performance for launch campaigns.
• Support launch pad system and flight vehicle system integrity testing to validate system health, performance and readiness for launch campaigns.
• Lead troubleshooting efforts, resolve any issues and non-conformances that arise during operations/testing, and support anomaly investigations
• Perform launch console operations or launch day close out team activities
• Write procedures for system operation, maintenance, and vehicle testing operations.
• Develop and execute maintenance strategies that maximize system availability and minimize downtime between missions.
• Collaborate with customers, external stakeholders, and design teams to ensure interoperability and compliance with regulatory and range safety requirements.
• Provide technical write-ups for systems upgrade proposals or tailoring of regulations.

Skills

Fluid and pneumatic systems

People management

Engineering documentation

Launch operations

Console operations

Regulatory/compliance awareness

Data viewing tools (Python)

Education

Bachelor's degree in mechanical or aerospace engineering

Tools

SVN

Bitbucket

Python

LabVIEW

MATLAB

Job description

Firefly Aerospace, based near Vandenberg, is seeking a technical manager to lead propulsion, fluids, electrical and mechanical engineers at the launch pad. You will oversee operation, maintenance, upgrades and readiness for launch campaigns.

The role requires a Bachelor's in engineering, 5+ years of hands-on fluids/electrical systems experience, and 2+ years of people management. It offers relocation benefits and a path to leadership within the Launch Operations team.