Operational Sustainment Lead

Firestorm•San Diego, CA

3d•$142,000 - $183,000•Onsite

About The Position

Firestorm Labs is seeking a proactive and strategic Operation Sustainment Lead to join our growing team in San Diego. This role owns the design and integration of Firestorm’s initial delivery and post-delivery sustainment model across deployed drone platforms and xCell manufacturing systems. The individual in this role ensures our systems can be deployed, supported, and kept operational within real customer logistics environments by defining how spares are provisioned, consumables are managed, and repairs are handled in the field. Working across engineering, supply chain, and customer teams, this role architects delivery and sustainment models that align with customer logistics frameworks, including U.S. military sustainment structures, ensuring Firestorm systems remain mission-ready throughout their lifecycle. This is not a transactional supply chain or warehouse operations role. It is a system-design and customer-integration role focused on the logistics of initial deployment, field sustainment, and long-term operational readiness.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Supply Chain Management, Logistics, Industrial Engineering or related field
8+ years of progressive experience in logistics, sustainment, lifecycle support or installed-base operations.
U.S. Citizenship required due to ITAR regulations, with the ability to obtain and maintain a DoD security clearance.
Experience supporting defense, aerospace, or mission-critical hardware
Customer-facing experience in operational environments
Strong systems-thinking ability across engineering, supply chain, and field operations
Familiarity with ERP/MRP and demand modeling tools

Nice To Haves

10+ years of experience in logistics, sustainment, lifecycle support or installed-base operations.
Prior military logistics or sustainment experience
Background in aftermarket, installed-base support, with experience defining spare provisioning levels and readiness metrics
Ability to drive change, mature processes, and adapt systems to evolving business needs.
Demonstrated ability to manage complex, fast-paced operations in a dynamic environment

Responsibilities

Develop and implement an enterprise-wide security strategy aligned with company objectives and defense contract requirements.
Engage directly with defense and military customers to understand sustainment structures and operational constraints
Ensure Firestorm delivery and sustainment models align with customer logistics processes and inventory frameworks
Identify logistics friction points early and adapt support models accordingly
Support deployment planning with sustainment considerations embedded from the outset
Define spare parts provisioning models for deployed drone platforms
Establish field-replaceable unit (FRU) strategies and recommended spare kits
Develop consumable burn-rate models for Firestorm's xCell systems
Architect preventive maintenance and replacement cadence guidance for xCell systems
Translate operational tempo, including flight hours and production volume, into material demand signals
Design field repair, refurbishment, and return-material authorization (RMA) processes
Establish field readiness metrics tied to supply availability & define resupply trigger logic and inventory positioning recommendations for fielded products
Monitor supply-driven downtime and lead corrective action analysis
Partner with Engineering to ensure product design supports field-level maintainability
Proactively align with Supply Chain on buffer strategy and lead-time risk
Support Program and Customer Success teams with sustainment planning inputs
Provide sustainment assumptions to Finance and Business Development for contract planning, while commercial ownership remains with those teams

Benefits

We offer comprehensive medical, dental, and visions plans
401(k) Retirement Savings Plan to invest in your long-term retirement goals
Equity grants for new hires
Unlimited PTO
Extremely generous company holiday calendar, including a holiday hiatus in November, & 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.