SUMMARY

The HSE Specialist III serves as a senior technical authority responsible for leading environmental, health, and safety initiatives supporting manufacturing, fabrication, assembly, integration, and production operations at Firefly Aerospace's Briggs, Texas facility.

This role provides strategic oversight and technical guidance for high-hazard manufacturing environments involving machining, welding, composites, hazardous materials, pressure systems, cryogenics, energized equipment, industrial automation, and aerospace production processes. The HSE Specialist III partners closely with Manufacturing Engineering, Production, Facilities, Maintenance, Supply Chain, and Quality teams to ensure safe and compliant execution of manufacturing operations while supporting aggressive production schedules and operational goals.

The position is responsible for driving operational risk reduction, regulatory compliance, emergency preparedness, and continuous improvement initiatives across manufacturing operations. This individual will lead hazard analyses, oversee contractor and operational safety compliance, and ensure safety requirements are integrated into manufacturing processes, equipment installations, and operational procedures.

This role is expected to operate with minimal supervision, mentor junior HSE personnel, influence organizational safety culture, and serve as a key safety partner supporting Firefly's fast-paced manufacturing environment.

The facility is located in Briggs, Texas.

RESPONSIBILITIES

• Lead development, implementation, and continuous improvement of HSE programs supporting aerospace manufacturing and production operations.
• Serve as the senior HSE subject matter expert for manufacturing activities involving machining, welding, composites, hazardous chemicals, pressure systems, cryogenics, robotics, energized systems, and industrial equipment.
• Conduct and facilitate Job Hazard Analyses (JHA), ergonomic assessments, risk assessments, and operational safety reviews for manufacturing processes and equipment.
• Partner with Manufacturing Engineering and Facilities teams to ensure safety requirements are incorporated into production lines, tooling, equipment modifications, facility expansions, and automation systems.
• Support safe manufacturing and handling operations involving aerospace structures, propulsion hardware, pressure systems, composites, and hazardous materials.
• Lead incident investigations, root cause analyses, corrective action development, and lessons learned implementation for manufacturing safety, environmental, and operational events.
• Support Management of Change (MOC) processes for manufacturing systems, hazardous materials, equipment changes, and operational modifications.
• Develop and maintain manufacturing safety procedures, safe work practices, lockout/tagout procedures, and emergency response plans.
• Provide HSE oversight for welding, hot work, confined space entry, hazardous material handling, compressed gas systems, machine guarding, powered industrial trucks, and elevated work activities.
• Support industrial hygiene initiatives including exposure monitoring, noise assessments, respiratory protection, ventilation evaluations, and chemical hazard mitigation.
• Evaluate manufacturing processes and recommend engineering controls, administrative controls, and PPE solutions to reduce operational risk and improve employee safety.
• Oversee contractor and subcontractor compliance with Firefly safety policies and regulatory requirements during construction, maintenance, and manufacturing support activities.
• Support regulatory compliance programs related to OSHA, EPA, RCRA, SPCC, hazardous waste, stormwater, air permitting, and chemical inventory reporting.
• Conduct routine safety audits, inspections, behavioral observations, and compliance assessments throughout manufacturing facilities.
• Develop and deliver advanced safety training programs including Lockout/Tagout, Hazard Communication, Respiratory Protection, Forklift Safety, Fall Protection, Hot Work, and Emergency Response.
• Support ergonomic improvement initiatives and human performance strategies to reduce injury risk and improve operational efficiency.
• Track and trend safety performance metrics, near misses, corrective actions, OSHA recordkeeping, and audit findings.
• Participate in operational readiness reviews, manufacturing reviews, safety committees, and continuous improvement initiatives.
• Mentor junior HSE personnel and provide technical guidance to manufacturing teams and leadership.
• Support emergency response planning and incident command activities for manufacturing and facility emergencies.
• Travel between operational and manufacturing sites as required to support Firefly operations.

Qualifications

Required

• Bachelor's degree in Occupational Health & Safety, Environmental Science, Engineering, Industrial Hygiene, Manufacturing Engineering, Chemical Engineering, or related technical field.
• 5+ years of progressive HSE experience supporting manufacturing, industrial, aerospace, defense, chemical processing, or high-hazard production environments.
• Experience supporting manufacturing operations involving fabrication, machining, welding, hazardous materials, automation systems, or industrial production equipment.
• Experience conducting hazard analyses, ergonomic assessments, incident investigations, and root cause analysis.
• Strong understanding of OSHA, EPA, NFPA, ANSI, and hazardous materials regulations.
• Experience developing and implementing safety management systems, emergency response programs, and compliance initiatives.
• Strong understanding of Lockout/Tagout, machine guarding, confined space entry, fall protection, industrial ventilation, hazardous energy control, and contractor safety management.
• Ability to lead cross-functional teams and influence operational decision-making.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills with experience presenting to leadership teams.

Desired

• Certified Safety Professional (CSP), Certified Industrial Hygienist (CIH), or Certified Hazardous Materials Manager (CHMM) certification preferred.
• Aerospace manufacturing experience.
• Experience supporting composite manufacturing, energetic materials, pressure systems, or chemical processing operations.
• Experience with industrial hygiene monitoring and exposure assessment programs.
• Familiarity with ISO 14001 and ISO 45001 management systems.
• Prior Emergency Response Commander or Incident Commander certification.
• Lean manufacturing or continuous improvement experience preferred.

Additional Requirements

• Must be willing to work extended hours, weekends, holidays, and off-shift schedules as required to support manufacturing operations.
• Must be capable of supporting field and production floor activities in varying industrial environments.
• Ability to climb ladders, access elevated platforms, wear respiratory protection, and support physically demanding operational activities.
• Ability to travel as required between operational sites.

Firefly offers outstanding benefits for our employees, including generous health, dental and vision plans with low plan deductibles, parental leave, educational reimbursement, short term disability, and flexible PTO options.