Buyer V - Composites

ABOUT FIREFLY AEROSPACE

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.

Firefly Aerospace is a space and defense technology company on a mission to reliably and repeatedly launch, land, and operate space systems from Earth to the Moon and beyond. As the partner of choice for critical space missions, Firefly is the first commercial company to launch a satellite to orbit with 24-hour notice and the first company to achieve a successful Moon landing. Headquartered in north Austin, Texas, Firefly is looking for passionate, hardworking innovators to join our team and help fuel our successful trajectory into space.

Firefly Aerospace is looking for a senior Buyer V to set the sourcing strategy for composite materials, structures and processes on our launch vehicle and spacecraft programs. You'll be our senior expert on composites suppliers. You'll set strategy for our most critical, highest-spend categories, lead difficult negotiations and mentor junior buyers. You'll work closely with Engineering, Manufacturing, Quality and Program Management to make sure flight-critical composite materials arrive on time, meet specification and keep total cost of ownership as low as possible.

Key Responsibilities

• Own sourcing strategy for all composites purchases:
  • Carbon fiber and glass prepregs, resins, adhesives, honeycomb and foam core, and dry fabrics
• Tooling materials and composite tooling
  • Outside processing such as autoclave cure, machining, NDI/NDT and bonding
• Build and carry out category strategies that support program schedules and company goals, covering supplier selection, dual-sourcing, make-vs-buy analysis and total-cost-of-ownership models.
• Lead high-value contract negotiations: long-term agreements, pricing agreements, capacity reservations, and terms and conditions.
• Make sure raw materials come from approved, qualified sources, such as materials on the Qualified Products List (QPL) made at qualified sites. Make sure specification and quality requirements flow down correctly on purchase orders.
• Work with Quality and Materials & Processes Engineering on material controls: shelf life, out-time, cold-chain shipping and storage, lot traceability, certificates of conformance and acceptance testing.
• Manage supplier performance (on-time delivery, quality, responsiveness) and lead corrective actions and supplier development.
• Identify and reduce supply chain risks such as sole-source dependencies, long-lead materials, limited capacity, and geopolitical or export exposure.
• Follow the Firefly Procurement Process and support Export Compliance, including screening suppliers, confirming ITAR/EAR classifications of purchased items, and making sure suppliers meet U.S. export control requirements.
• Mentor and train Buyers I-IV, and help improve procurement processes, tools and ERP practices.
• Present sourcing strategies, risks and savings to senior leadership.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Supply Chain Management, Business, Engineering or a related field, or equivalent experience.
• 10+ years of increasingly senior procurement experience in aerospace, defense or space, including at least 5 years focused on composite materials or structures.
• Deep knowledge of composites suppliers, including the major prepreg, resin, fiber and core suppliers and composite fabrication and processing vendors.
• Working knowledge of composite material handling: shelf life, out-time tracking, freezer storage and temperature-controlled shipping.
• Experience in an AS9100 quality management system, including purchase order flow-downs, supplier approval and first article inspection (AS9102).
• Track record negotiating complex, high-value agreements.
• Working knowledge of ITAR and EAR requirements in procurement.
• Advanced skills in ERP/MRP systems [e.g., Odoo] and Microsoft Excel.
• Must be a U.S. Person as defined by ITAR (U.S. citizen, lawful permanent resident or protected individual).

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with Nadcap-accredited composite suppliers (AC7118 / AC7124) and familiarity with CMH-17 material qualification practices.
• Experience with prepreg procurement specifications and material equivalency or qualification programs.
• Experience with primary structures on launch vehicles or spacecraft, such as tanks, interstages, fairings and panels.
• Professional certification such as CPSM, CPM or APICS CSCP.
• Experience at a startup or other fast-growing company.

Core Competencies

Strategic thinking, negotiation, leadership and mentoring, risk management, analytical problem-solving, clear communication with technical and executive audiences, ethics and integrity.

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

To conform to U.S. Government space technology export regulations, including the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) you must be a U.S. citizen, lawful permanent resident of the U.S., protected individual as defined by 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3), or eligible to obtain the required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State.

Firefly Aerospace, Inc. is an Equal Opportunity Employer; employment with Firefly is governed based on merit, competence and qualifications and will not be influenced in any manner by race, color, religion, gender, national origin/ethnicity, veteran status, disability status, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, mental or physical disability or any other legally protected status.