Senior Manufacturing Engineer, New Product Introduction (NPI)

Firestorm • San Diego, CA

1d • $125,000 - $145,000 • Onsite

About The Position

Firestorm is hiring a Senior Manufacturing Engineer, New Product Introduction (NPI) to help transition early designs into production-ready systems and scale products from prototype builds to low-rate production. This is a hands-on role working closely with senior engineers and cross-functional teams to develop manufacturing processes, tooling, and documentation. The role involves significant time on the production floor supporting how products are built in a fast-paced environment.

The position is based onsite at Firestorm’s headquarters in San Diego, California, in a standard office and manufacturing environment. It requires standing and walking for extended periods, moving around the production floor, and regularly sitting, standing, bending, reaching, and moving throughout the day. The environment may include moderate noise, temperature variation, and typical shop-floor conditions. PPE is provided and must be worn as required. Relocation assistance may be included in an offer where appropriate.

The stated base salary range is $125,000–$145,000, commensurate with experience, along with a meaningful equity grant. Firestorm describes itself as a VC-backed defense technology company developing modular, mission-adaptable unmanned systems and distributed production capabilities.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Manufacturing, Mechanical, Industrial Engineering, or an equivalent degree.
• Must qualify as a “U.S. Person” under 22 CFR § 120.62, including U.S. citizens, lawful permanent residents, or protected individuals under asylee or refugee status.
• At least 3 years of work in a manufacturing or production engineering environment.
• Experience scaling from prototype to first-run production.
• Experience reading and interpreting engineering drawings and GD&T.
• Experience with common manufacturing processes such as machining, fabrication, assembly, or composites.
• Experience working with 2D and/or 3D CAD software.
• Experience creating effective work instructions.
• Experience working cross-functionally with engineering, quality, and/or operations teams.

Nice To Haves

• Experience in the defense or aerospace industry.
• Experience with SolidWorks.
• 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 one.

Responsibilities

• Support DFM and DFA reviews by analyzing drawings and 3D models for manufacturability and identifying tolerance, material, or process concerns.
• Develop and maintain visual work instructions with step-by-step procedures and accept/reject criteria.
• Assist in designing assembly fixtures and jigs focused on repeatability and error-proofing.
• Support process setup, debugging, and hands-on problem solving on the production floor.
• 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, including cycle time, yield, and defects, to support continuous improvement.
• Assist with root cause analysis of manufacturing nonconformances using structured problem-solving methods.
• Maintain ITAR and CUI compliance across manufacturing documentation and data.
• Perform other duties as required.

Benefits

• Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision plans.
• 401(k) Retirement Savings Plan.
• Equity grants for new hires.
• Unlimited PTO.
• Company holiday calendar, including holiday hiatuses in July and December.
• Generous parental leave.
• Lifestyle Spending Account.
• Flexible Spending Account (FSA), Dependent Care FSA (DCFSA), and Health Savings Account (HSA).
• Hospital indemnity insurance.
• Critical illness insurance.
• Accident insurance.
• Basic life/AD&D and short- and long-term disability insurance, 100% covered by Firestorm, with the option to purchase additional life insurance.
• Free 24/7 mental health resources, including therapy.
• Work-life services, including free legal and financial support.
• Relocation assistance may be included in the offer package where appropriate.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior