Manufacturing Engineer, NPI

Firestorm•San Diego, CA

23h•$88,000 - $126,000•Onsite

About The Position

Firestorm is building mission-adaptive UAV platforms designed for rapid deployment and scalable production. As a Manufacturing Engineer, NPI, you will support the transition of early designs into production-ready systems, helping scale from prototype builds to low-rate production. This is a hands-on role where you will work closely with senior engineers and cross-functional teams to develop manufacturing processes, tooling, and documentation. You will spend meaningful time on the production floor, learning by doing and contributing directly to how products are built. We are looking for someone who is curious, detail-oriented, and eager to grow. You enjoy being close to the hardware, solving problems in real time, and building a strong foundation in manufacturing engineering within a fast-paced environment.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Manufacturing, Mechanical, or Industrial Engineering
3+ years of manufacturing or production engineering environment
U.S. Citizenship required due to ITAR regulations & the ability to obtain and maintain a U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) security clearance.
Ability to read and interpret engineering drawings and GD&T
Familiarity with common manufacturing processes such as machining, fabrication, assembly, or composites
Working knowledge of CAD software such as SolidWorks
Strong attention to detail and ability to balance speed with accuracy in a production environment
Clear written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to create effective work instructions
Comfortable working cross-functionally with engineering, quality, and operations teams
Willingness to spend significant time on the production floor

Nice To Haves

Experience working in the defense or aerospace industry.
Exposure to aerospace or defense manufacturing standards such as AS9100, AS9102, or MIL-STD
Familiarity with Lean manufacturing principles and basic Six Sigma concepts
Experience with ERP, MRP, or PLM systems such as Arena or SAP
Hands-on experience with measurement tools such as CMMs, calipers, or micrometers, or with test equipment
Experience with Python, Power BI, or similar tools for manufacturing metrics and data analysis
Exposure to AI or LLM tools for documentation or engineering workflows
IPC-A-610 or IPC/WHMA-A-620 certification; or willingness to obtain

Responsibilities

Support DFM and DFA reviews by analyzing drawings and 3D models for manufacturability, flagging tolerance, material, or process concerns
Develop and maintain clear, visual work instructions with step-by-step procedures and accept and reject criteria
Assist in designing assembly fixtures and jigs with a focus on repeatability and error-proofing
Spend significant time on the production floor supporting process setup, debugging, and hands-on problem solving
Support First Article Inspection activities per AS9102, including balloon drawings and documentation
Contribute to process FMEA and control plan development as part of the NPI team
Help develop and execute test procedures for production acceptance and functional verification
Collect and analyze manufacturing data such as cycle time, yield, and defects to support continuous improvement
Assist with root cause analysis on manufacturing nonconformances using structured problem-solving methods
Maintain ITAR and CUI compliance across manufacturing documentation and data

Benefits

We offer comprehensive medical, dental, and visions plans
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 December.
Generous Parental Leave
FSA
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.