Site Operations Lead - Propulsion & Test Manufacturing

Castelion; Midland (TX); On-site; USD 150,000 - 190,000; Full time

Job summary

Castelion is seeking a Site Operations Manager to own end-to-end operations of Castelion's R&D manufacturing and testing site for solid rocket motors (SRMs). This leadership role drives safe, efficient, high-quality execution of propellant manufacturing, motor assembly, and testing for hypersonic programs.

You will lead a multidisciplinary team and partner with Design, Manufacturing Engineering, Quality, Supply Chain, and Automation to scale processes from development toward higher-rate

Qualifications

• Bachelor or equivalent in a technical engineering field.
• 10+ years in manufacturing/operations or test leadership in aerospace/defense.
• 5+ years in supervisory or management roles.
• Experience with solid rocket motors or energetic materials.
• Knowledge of propellant manufacturing and high-hazard operations.

Responsibilities

• Own day-to-day operations of the development site, including propellant manufacturing and testing.
• Lead, mentor, and develop manufacturing engineers, test engineers, technicians, and operators; foster a strong safety culture.
• Develop and execute site operational plans, schedules, and resource allocation to meet program milestones.
• Drive process maturity, yield improvement, throughput, and cost efficiency while transitioning from R&D to production-ready methods.
• Ensure compliance with energetic materials handling, DoD 4145.26-M, ATF regulations, ITAR, range safety, and site standards.
• Oversee facility readiness, equipment uptime, maintenance, and capital planning for key systems.

Skills

Leadership

Operations management

Safety culture

Process improvement

Team development

Education

Bachelor's degree in Mechanical, Chemical, Aerospace, Manufacturing, or Industrial Engineering

Tools

ERP/MES systems

Configuration management

Production control practices

Job description

Castelion is seeking a Site Operations Manager to own end-to-end operations of Castelion's R&D manufacturing and testing site for solid rocket motors (SRMs). This leadership role drives safe, efficient, high-quality execution of propellant manufacturing, motor assembly, and testing for hypersonic programs.

You will lead a multidisciplinary team and partner with Design, Manufacturing Engineering, Quality, Supply Chain, and Automation to scale processes from development toward higher-rate