Firefly Aerospace · 3 days ago
Payload Processing Facility Manager
Beale Air Force Base, CA
Full-time
Onsite
Senior Level
5+ years expFirefly Aerospace is a space and defense technology company that enables critical space missions. They are seeking a Payload Processing Facility Manager to oversee operations, manage facility upgrades, and ensure compliance while delivering efficient processing timelines for satellite launches.
AerospaceAir TransportationSatellite Communication
No H1B
U.S. Citizen Only
Responsibilities
Full ownership of day-to-day facility operations, budget, staffing, and revenue from external rentals
Deliver consistently short processing timelines for Alpha missions (target 5–10 business days from spacecraft arrival to fairing encapsulation)
Build and manage a commercial leasing program: pricing, contracts, scheduling, and customer onboarding for third-party users
Maintain required environmental cleanliness levels, contamination monitoring, ESD protection, and hazardous-processing capabilities (hydrazine, cold-gas, green propellants, small ordnance)
Provide environmental updates/reports to internal and external customers
Work with the Firefly Mission Management team to support customer reviews
Work with and lead a shared team of technicians, engineers, safety specialists, and logistics personnel; scale the organization as launch rate and rental demand grow
Serve as the launch sites’ primary interface with every payload customer — internal and external — from contract kick-off through final handover to the launch pad
Keep all facility certifications current and ensure full compliance with range safety, ITAR/EAR, and Firefly safety standards
Coordinate facility upgrades and new capability additions in parallel with ongoing internal and external customer campaigns
Qualification
Required
Bachelor's degree in engineering, aerospace, or operations-related field
5+ years working in satellite or payload processing cleanrooms
Hands-on experience running or supporting commercial payload processing campaigns for orbital launch vehicles
Proven track record operating a shared or multi-tenant processing facility (commercial, government, or contractor-owned)
Comfortable negotiating and closing facility-use agreements or service contracts with commercial spacecraft operators
Thorough understanding of cleanroom protocols, contamination control plans, and hazardous operations safety
Must be a U.S. Person (U.S. citizen or permanent resident)
Preferred
Hold or Ability to obtain Top Secret clearance
Previous leadership role at a commercial space company or payload processing contractor
Direct familiarity with small-lift fairing encapsulation and Alpha-class payloads
Experience with hydrazine/propellant loading operations and associated safety protocols
Experience bringing a new processing building online or executing major facility expansions
Existing relationships within the rideshare, small-sat, or constellation community
Must be willing to travel up to 25 % to other Firefly offices, test or launch sites
Benefits
Generous health, dental and vision plans with low plan deductibles
Parental leave
Educational reimbursement
Short term disability
Flexible PTO options
Company
Firefly Aerospace
Firefly Aerospace is a space company that develops and operates launch vehicles, lunar landers, and orbital vehicles for commercial mission.
501-1000 employees
Funding
Current Stage
Public CompanyTotal Funding
$796.56MKey Investors
Northrop GrummanRPM VenturesAE Industrial Partners
2025-08-07IPO
2025-05-29Corporate Round· $50M
2024-11-12Series D· $175M
Leadership Team
Jason Kim
Chief Executive Officer
Eric Salwan
Co-Founder
Recent News
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