Flight Test Operations Manager

About Castelion

Castelion is bringing a new approach to defense development and production: one that focuses on short, iterative design cycles, rapid flight testing in development, and modern commercial manufacturing strategies for production at scale. We're designing, building, and testing next generation long range strike weapons systems to give America and its Allies a definitive edge and deter future conflicts.

Flight Test Operations Manager

The Flight Test Operations Manager is the mission enabler for all field test activity. You'll own the end-to-end logistics and ground operations that ensure every test campaign launches on time, safely, and without friction. From site prep and transportation to emergency planning and team sustainment, you'll make sure people, equipment, and assets are exactly where they need to be.

This is a highly cross-functional role ideal for a logistics professional who thrives in dynamic environments and wants to own real mission-critical outcomes. You'll play a key role in defining how a modern, agile test and launch infrastructure should operate.

Responsibilities

• Own and maintain all launch infrastructure, including integration areas, support equipment, power systems, and bunkers
• Lead end-to-end logistics planning for every test campaign, including ground transportation, site setup, and teardown
• Coordinate the launcher motor pool: maintenance, readiness, and asset movement
• Oversee on-site sustainment: food, lodging, equipment, and daily ops support
• Ensure all emergency response plans and safety systems are operational and rehearsed
• Manage the transport of rocket motors to and from test sites, ensuring schedule and compliance
• Serve as a critical interface between test engineering, flight safety, and third-party vendors or regulators

Basic Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Logistics, Operations, or related field or equivalent practical experience
• 3+ years in aerospace test, launch, military field logistics, or remote operations management
• Strong working knowledge of field support logistics, safety procedures, and transportation planning
• Comfortable operating hands-on in rugged, high-tempo environments
• Highly organized, calm under pressure, and capable of coordinating across many stakeholders.

Leadership Qualities

• Bias to Action and Creative Problem Solving. Desire and experience questioning assumptions in ways that lead to break through ideas that are ultimately implemented. Successfully bring in applicable processes/concepts/materials from other industries to achieve efficiency gains. The ability to personally resolve minor issues in development without requiring significant support.
• High Commitment, High Initiative. A successful candidate will have a genuine passion for Castelion's mission and consistently look for ways to contribute to the company's technical goals and prevent hardware blockers. Ability to work in a fast paced, autonomously driven, and demanding atmosphere. Strong sense of accountability and integrity.
• Clear Communicator. Proactively communicates blockers. Trusted in previous roles to be voice of company with regulators, suppliers, gate keepers and customers. Capable of tactfully managing relationships with stakeholders to achieve company-desired outcomes without compromising relationships. Emails, IMs and verbal interactions are logical, drive clarity, and detailed enough to eliminate ambiguity.

ITAR Requirements

• To conform to U.S. Government export regulations, applicant must be a (i) U.S. citizen or national, (ii) U.S. lawful, permanent resident (aka green card holder), (iii) Refugee under 8 U.S.C. § 1157, or (iv) Asylee under 8 U.S.C. § 1158, or be eligible to obtain the required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State.

Employment with Castelion is governed on the basis of 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.

All employees are granted long-term stock incentives as part of their employment at Castelion. All employees receive access to comprehensive medical, vision, and dental insurance, and the company offers four weeks of paid time off per year.