Firestorm Labs is seeking a Principal, Manufacturing Design Engineer to join our engineering team in San Diego. You will be in an individual contributor role and will need to be as comfortable in a design review as on the shop floor. You'll join the aircraft design team at the start of a program, make sure what we design can be built well, and then carry that work through process design, tooling, and the transition into production.
You will move with the program. Early on, you're a member of the design team, bringing DFM/DFA input before the design is locked. As the design matures, your focus shifts to process design, tool and fixture design, ground support equipment, and shipping solutions, and to handing the product off to our manufacturing operations team. This role reports to the SVP of Engineering.
What You’ll Do:
Design team member: Serve on the aircraft design team from program inception, contributing design work on structures, parts, and assemblies alongside the rest of the team.
DFM/DFA:
Drive DFM/DFA from day one. Review designs early and often, bring manufacturing constraints and cost drivers into trade studies, and push for parts and assemblies that are simpler to build, inspect, and assemble.
Design and drawings: Create and release models and drawings in NX, and in SolidWorks where needed, applying GD&T per ASME Y14.5 and model-based definition practices.
Configuration management: Work in our PLM system at the level of a design lead, managing releases, revisions, and engineering changes, and keeping design, tooling, and process data aligned.
Process design: Define the manufacturing approach for new products across composites, metallics, assembly, fastening, bonding, integration, inspection, and test. Develop the process roadmaps and supporting documentation through each design review gate.
Tooling and fixtures: Design composite layup tools, trim and drill fixtures, bond fixtures, assembly jigs, and inspection and test fixtures that can be duplicated and used at every Firestorm production site, including regional and deployed production.
Ground support and shipping: Design ground support equipment and shipping, handling, and logistics solutions for production, test, and fielded systems.
Tool procurement and commissioning: Support tool procurement, supplier technical questions, tool proofing, and commissioning in partnership with the manufacturing team.
Transition to production: Hand off process roadmaps to the Manufacturing Engineering team to develop into full production documentation, and support early builds as the product moves into manufacturing operations.
Cross-functional problem solving: Work with design, manufacturing, quality, and supply chain to resolve producibility issues, support root cause investigations, and feed lessons learned back into the design.
Perform other duties as needed.
Required Qualifications:
Bachelor's degree in Engineering (Mechanical, Aerospace, Manufacturing, or related discipline). Experience in lieu of a degree will not be considered.
'U.S. Person' as defined by 22 CFR
120.62 required due to ITAR regulations, which includes U.S. citizens, lawful permanent residents (Green Card holders), or protected individuals under asylee or refugee status
10+ years of engineering experience in aerospace or defense, spanning design, tooling, manufacturing engineering, or NPI.
Hands‑on experience with composites and metallics manufacturing, assembly, fastening and bonding, integration, inspection, and test.
Experience designing production tooling, including composite layup tools, trim and drill fixtures, bond fixtures, and assembly jigs.
Experience designing ground support equipment and shipping or handling solutions.
Experience with Siemens NX, and working knowledge of SolidWorks.
Strong command of GD&T and ASME Y14.5, and a working understanding of model‑based definition and how it applies Y14.5.
Configuration management experience in a PLM system at the level of a design engineering lead, including releases, revisions, and engineering change.
A track record of taking new products from early design into production.
Clear communicator who can work across design and manufacturing teams and hold their own in a design review.
Preferred Qualifications:
Experience with unmanned aircraft or small airframe programs.
Experience designing tooling or processes for production at multiple sites, or for deployable or expeditionary manufacturing.
Experience using additive manufacturing for tooling and fixtures.
Tolerance stack‑up analysis experience.
Familiarity with APQP, PFMEA, and process documentation in an AS9100 environment.
Startup or high‑growth company experience.
Work Environment
Working on‑site at our headquarters in San Diego, CA.
Travel up to 15%, including domestic and international production sites.
We welcome candidates who are local or open to relocating. Relocation assistance is available and may be included in the offer package where appropriate.
Compensation
Base salary: $209,000 - $237,000 base, commensurate with experience
Equity: Meaningful equity grant in a growth‑stage defense technology company
The posted salary range reflects an estimate based on a variety of compensation factors, including but not limited to relevant experience, education, certifications, specialized skills, geographic location, and business needs. Actual compensation may vary, and this range is subject to change as our compensation structure or market conditions evolve.
Who We Are:
At Firestorm, we're building toward a future defined by incontestable defense logistics. That means equipping warfighters with mission‑critical capabilities at the point of need. Not in months, not from a depot halfway around the world, but now, in the field, on demand.
We're a VC‑backed defense technology company pioneering an expeditionary manufacturing ecosystem that produces and sustains modular, mission‑adaptable unmanned systems, parts and components for repair and sustainment, and the software to transform point solutions into a network of strategic assets.
We're building a team of engineers, operators, and problem‑solvers who believe the future of deterrence cannot rely only on expensive, exquisite platforms made in centralized factories. We build and field affordable systems using distributed production capabilities at the edge. If you want to solve challenging problems that will reshape the future of defense, you're in the right place.
Why This Role, Why Now
Firestorm is moving from prototype to production, and the choices made early in a design set the cost, quality, and speed of everything that follows. This role puts an experienced manufacturing mind on the design team from the first sketch and keeps that same person with the product until it's running on the floor. You'll have a direct hand in how our aircraft are designed, built, and supported in the field.
Benefits & Perks:
Our culture fosters collaboration, respect, and trust, empowering passionate people to do their best work. We offer a competitive salary, comprehensive benefits, and opportunities for career growth. In addition to an opportunity to take part in an innovative, collaborative, and fast‑growing business with a highly motivated and skilled team, we also take pride in looking after our employees. Here are just a few ways that we show our appreciation:
We offer comprehensive medical, dental, and vision plans
Equity grants for new hires
401(k) Retirement Savings Plan to invest in your long‑term retirement goals
Unlimited PTO
Extremely generous company holiday calendar, including a holiday hiatus in July & December.
Generous parental leave
Lifestyle Spending Account
FSA
DCFSA
HSA
Hospital Indemnity insurance
Critical Illness insurance
Accident insurance
Basic Life/AD&D, short‑term and long‑term disability insurance, 100% covered by Firestorm. Plus, the option to purchase additional life insurance for you and your family.
Mental Health Resources: We provide free mental health resources 24/7 including therapy and more. Additional work‑life services, such as free legal and financial support, are available to you as well.
Export Control Compliance
To conform to U.S. government exportcontrol regulations, including the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) and Export Administration Regulations (EAR), 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 otherwise eligible to obtain the required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State or U.S. Department of Commerce. Because this position requires a security clearance, U.S. citizenship is required.
Equal Opportunity Statement
Firestorm is an equal opportunity employer, committed to creating a diverse and inclusive workplace, and upholding equitable hiring practices. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected under federal, state, or local law, including those with a criminal history, in a manner consistent with the requirements of applicable state and local laws, including the California Fair Chance Act. We actively encourage members of recognized minorities, women, Veterans, and those with disabilities to apply, and we work to create a welcoming and supportive environment for all applicants throughout the interview process.
Firestorm is committed to fostering an inclusive and accessible work environment. If you require accommodations or assistance during the application process, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us at careers@launchfirestorm.com so we can provide the support you need.
