Instrumentation & Controls Manager GSE

About Firefly

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 conditioning
  • Control panels, junction panels, and vehicle umbilical/quick disconnect systems
  • Sensor 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 diagrams
  • Instrument and control cable schedules
  • Instrument Loop Diagrams
  • Junction 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