Principal Energetics Technician - Grinding, Mixing, Compression Molding Hardware

Firehawk is a leading aerospace and defense company headquartered in Addison, Texas, pioneering advanced solid rocket propulsion technologies. Through innovative propellant formulations, continuous manufacturing, and compression molding, Firehawk is transforming how energetic materials are produced  new facility in Lawton, Oklahoma, will leverage automated production equipment and centralized control systems to expand domestic propellant manufacturing capacity in support of critical national defense requirements.

The Principal Energetics Technician is responsible for leading a crew of technicians in the safe and efficient operation of energetic material processes at Firehawk's Lawton manufacturing facility. This single job posting represents three available positions, with individual technicians assigned to one of three primary production processes: grinding, mixing, or compression molding. Each Principal Technician will oversee equipment setup, material preparation, and process monitoring within a highly automated manufacturing environment.

Serving as the Principal Technician for their assigned process, this person will support equipment commissioning, operational readiness assessments, and the transition and execution of sustained production of live energetic materials. The position reports to the Area Operations Manager and plays a critical role in maintaining safety, quality, and production performance.

• Provide leadership to a team of technicians, support execution of daily work assignments, equipment preparation, material staging, and production readiness.
• Ensure assigned energetic-material production processes are conducted IAW approved procedures, ensuring safe, efficient, and consistent execution of approved manufacturing procedures.
• Operate and monitor automated production equipment and control systems, ensuring process parameters remain within established operating limits and specifications.
• Apply operational expertise to energetic-material processing operations, including grinding, mixing, compression molding, material handling, and associated production activities.
• Perform equipment setup, inspections, adjustments, and routine maintenance support, utilizing approved procedures, appropriate hand tools, measurement instruments, and diagnostic equipment.
• Support equipment commissioning, functional testing, inert trials, process qualification, and transition to live energetic operations following required safety approvals and readiness assessments.
• Follow all explosive-safety requirements, approved operating procedures, and established process limits. Exercise stop-work authority and promptly escal…
• Train, mentor, and qualify technicians on equipment operation, process controls, material handling, safety procedures, and manufacturing best practices.
• Support quality assurance activities, including in-process inspections, material traceability, sampling, documentation, and identification of nonconforming materials.
• Participate in process-hazard reviews, operational readiness assessments, safety investigations, and internal or external audits.
• Maintain high standards of housekeeping, equipment care, contamination prevention, and workplace organization in accordance with applicable FOD, ESD, 5S, and explosive-safety requirements.

• High school diploma with 7+ years of relevant manufacturing experience, or a technical degree/certification with 5+ years of experience.
• Demonstrated experience operating, troubleshooting, and maintaining industrial production equipment in a manufacturing environment.
• Working knowledge of manufacturing safety practices, standard operating procedures (SOPs), process controls, equipment inspections, and production documentation.
• Experience leading, training, or providing technical direction to production technicians or equipment operators.
• Strong mechanical aptitude and hands-on proficiency with industrial tools, measurement instruments, and equipment diagnostics.
• Ability to interpret technical procedures, equipment documentation, process specifications, and manufacturing instructions.
• Strong problem-solving, communication, and organizational skills, with the ability to collaborate effectively with engineering, maintenance, quality, and…