PRINCIPAL, TECHNOLOGY ENGINEERING

Company Overview Firecrest Aerospace is a U.S. aerospace propulsion company headquartered in Morrisville, North Carolina, with manufacturing operations being established in Stevens Point, Wisconsin. a member of CSG Group, Firecrest develops and manufactures advanced micro turbojet and turbofan engines for defense, aerospace, and other high-performance applications, supporting U.S. government, allied, and commercial customers.

S. manufacturing facility in Stevens Point, where it expects to create approximately 125 high-skilled manufacturing, engineering, and technical positions. As Firecrest expands from engine assembly, integration, and testing into full-scale manufacturing, engineering, and advanced product development, it is helping strengthen the U.S. aerospace and defense industrial base while advancing next-generation propulsion technologies.

At Firecrest Aerospace, you will have the opportunity to work alongside a growing team committed to engineering excellence, innovation, and mission success. Whether your expertise is in manufacturing, engineering, quality, operations, or business functions, you will play a direct role in building advanced propulsion systems that support critical national security and aerospace missions.

The Propulsion Engineering Manager is responsible for establishing and scaling engineering support for a small turbine engine assembly and test facility. This role begins as an individual contributor reporting to a remote VP of Operations, working in close coordination with the Operations Manager and Quality Manager to stand up the technical and process foundation of the site.

In Phase 1, the Engineering Manager will work in tight coordination with the Quality Manager and Operations Manager operate hands-on, resolving design-for-manufacturing gaps, stabilizing inherited product definitions, and supporting early builds.

As the organization transitions into production (Phases 2 and 3), the role evolves into a leadership position reporting to the on-site Plant Manager, leading a small team of manufacturing and propulsion engineers.

Organizational Scaling & Engineering Ownership
Phase 1: Site Startup & NPI (Individual Contributor reporting to VP of Propulsion Operations)
Partner with Operations and Quality to co-develop foundational assembly and test processes
Analyze and “wring out” variability from inherited technical data, including:
Critical-to-quality (CTQ) identification
Early tolerance analysis and risk assessment
Assembly processes
In-process testing
Rotor balancing and mechanical integrity
Begin development of fault trees for known and emerging failure modes
Participate in and help facilitate:
Process FMEAs (PFMEA) with Operations
Support structured problem-solving using 8D Problem Solving when appropriate
Support Operations’ technician training on assembly/test intent, procedures, and known failure modes

Phase 2: NPI → Low-Rate Initial Production (LRIP) (Functional Manager reporting to Plant Manager)
Standardize and validate assembly and test procedures
Align engineering outputs with quality control plans and inspection methods
Assembly defects
Expand and formalize fault tree analysis as a standard diagnostic tool
Structured RCCA using 8D Problem Solving where warranted
Updated assembly and test procedures
Operations to stabilize workflows and reduce variability
Quality to ensure alignment between engineering intent, inspection, and acceptance criteria

Phase 3: LRIP → Full-Rate Production (FRP) (Functional Manager reporting to Plant Manager)
Support operations in line balancing and bottleneck reduction through:
Process improvements
Enhance fault tree models using production data for faster troubleshooting
Ensure engineering documentation is fully controlled, stable, and production-ready
Continue training and upskilling workforce as processes evolve
Partner with Quality to ensure FMEAs and control plans reflect real production conditions
Support scaling of test infrastructure and performance consistency

Own engineering support for assembly and test operations
Develop and maintain fault trees for critical failure modes
Lead and support structured problem solving and RCCA efforts
Train technicians on procedures, failure modes, and engineering intent
Develop and lead the engineering team
Collaborate cross-functionally with Operations and Quality

Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or a related field
7+ years of experience in propulsion systems, aerospace manufacturing, turbine engine assembly, balancing, and test
Strong troubleshooting skills in mechanical systems, assembly, and testing
Experience with tolerance analysis and variation reduction
Familiarity with FMEA and structured problem-solving methodologies
Six Sigma or equivalent analytical training

Strong systems thinking and root cause analysis capability
Ability to scale engineering support alongside production growth

On-site role within a turbine engine assembly and test facility
Significant time spent on the production floor and in test environments
Exposure to mechanical systems, rotating equipment, and test operations

This role ensures that engineering rigor translates into production reality. By eliminating variability, resolving failure modes, and enabling stable, repeatable processes, the Engineering Manager is a key driver of first pass yield, throughput, and overall production success as the facility scales from initial builds to full-rate manufacturing.

Competitive base salary with performance-based incentives.

• Comprehensive benefits package, including medical, dental, and vision insurance.
• 401(k) retirement plan with company contribution.
• Paid time off including vacation, personal days, and company holidays.
• Professional development and training opportunities.