Associate Mechanical Test Technician

Firestorm•San Diego, CA

13d•$20 - $27•Onsite

About The Position

As an Associate Mechanical Test Technician at Firestorm, you will work alongside our engineers and senior technicians to build, test, and field the unmanned aircraft we deliver to the warfighter. This is a hands-on, shop-floor role. You will assemble airframes, build support equipment, set up test articles, and prepare aircraft for flight — on real hardware, on real programs, on short timelines. This is an entry-level position and we will train you. What we need from you is mechanical aptitude, care and precision with your hands, and the discipline to follow a procedure exactly and speak up the moment something does not look right. If you come from a trade or technical school, a military aviation maintenance background, a race shop, a fabrication shop, or any environment where you have built and repaired real hardware, we want to talk to you. You will work under the direction of senior technicians and mechanical engineers who will check your work, teach you the standards, and grow your skill set. The aircraft you help build will fly, and you will be there when they do.

Requirements

High school diploma, GED or equivalent education
'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
Demonstrated hands-on mechanical experience — trade or technical school, military maintenance training, internship, race or fabrication shop, or equivalent build experience
Ability to read and work from basic engineering drawings and written work instructions
Proficiency with common hand tools and power tools
Careful and accurate documentation habits, and the discipline to follow a written procedure exactly

Nice To Haves

Certificate or Associate degree from a trade or technical program in aviation maintenance, manufacturing technology, welding, machining, or mechatronics
Military aviation maintenance background — aviation structural mechanic, avionics technician, UAS maintainer, or equivalent
Soldering or wire harness fabrication experience; exposure to IPC/WHMA-A-620 or J-STD-001 workmanship standards
Composite fabrication or repair exposure
Experience with precision measurement tools — calipers, micrometers, and calibrated torque equipment
FAA Part 107 Remote Pilot Certificate, or interest in obtaining one
Prior experience in a prototype, R&D, or low-rate production environment
Willingness to ask questions and escalate rather than guess

Responsibilities

Assemble airframe structures, subassemblies, and integration hardware from released drawings and written work instructions.
Install mechanical hardware to specification — fasteners, inserts, bushings, brackets, and mounts — and torque to spec with values recorded.
Support composite work including surface preparation, trimming, bonding, and layup.
Support propulsion and fuel system installation, including plumbing, fittings, and leak checks.
Operate shop equipment safely: bandsaw, drill press, sheet metal tooling, and hand and power tools.
Run 3D printers and perform post-processing on printed parts.
Kit parts against bills of material and stage build kits for aircraft and test articles.
Record as-built configuration, serialized part numbers, torque values, and build notes accurately and legibly.
Flag any part, fit, or instruction that does not match the drawing — escalate rather than improvise.
Assemble test fixtures and prepare test articles per engineering direction.
Install instrumentation — strain gauges, accelerometers, thermocouples, load cells, and displacement sensors — per a provided channel list.
Support execution of static load, drop, vibration, thermal, and environmental test events.
Capture photographs, video, and written observations during test; label and hand off data files and test records.
Follow all test safety requirements: stored-energy control, lockout/tagout, PPE, and rigging and lifting procedures.
Prepare aircraft for flight: preflight and postflight inspection, control surface checks, and weight and center-of-gravity measurement.
Set up and tear down ground support equipment, ground control stations, antennas, and field tooling.
Stage spares, consumables, tooling, and loadout ahead of test events.
Support turnaround between sorties, post-flight teardown, log download, and damage inspection.
Serve as visual observer or launch and recovery crew at test events.
Maintain tool control, FOD discipline, and organization in build and test areas.
Keep consumables stocked and flag shortages before they stop a build.
Support receiving inspection and stockroom accuracy.
Perform routine maintenance on 3D printers, test stands, and shop equipment.
Perform other duties as requested

Benefits

Comprehensive medical, dental, and visions plans
Equity grants for new hires
401(k) Retirement Savings Plan
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.