SlipstreamJobs tracks this role from the company's public career site. Apply directly on the employer's site.
Salary: USD 209,000 - 237,000 / annual
Firestorm Labs is seeking a Principal Manufacturing Design Engineer to join the engineering team in San Diego. This is an individual contributor role that bridges design and manufacturing, requiring comfort in both design reviews and on the shop floor.
You will join aircraft design programs from inception, ensuring designs are manufacturable and cost-effective. Early in a program, you serve as a design team member, contributing DFM/DFA input before designs are locked. As designs mature, your focus shifts to process design, tooling, fixtures, ground support equipment, and production handoff to the manufacturing operations team. You report to the SVP of Engineering and will move with programs through their lifecycle.
Key Responsibilities:
- Serve on aircraft design teams from program inception, contributing to structures, parts, and assemblies
- Drive DFM/DFA from day one, reviewing designs early and often, bringing manufacturing constraints into trade studies
- Create and release models and drawings in NX and SolidWorks, applying GD&T per ASME Y14.5 and model-based definition practices
- Manage configuration in the PLM system at a design-lead level, handling releases, revisions, and engineering changes
- Define manufacturing approaches across composites, metallics, assembly, fastening, bonding, integration, inspection, and test
- Design composite layup tools, trim and drill fixtures, bond fixtures, assembly jigs, and inspection/test fixtures for use across multiple production sites
- Design ground support equipment and shipping/handling/logistics solutions
- Support tool procurement, supplier technical questions, tool proofing, and commissioning
- Hand off process roadmaps to Manufacturing Engineering and support early production builds
- Work cross-functionally with design, manufacturing, quality, and supply chain to resolve producibility issues
Work Environment: On-site at San Diego headquarters with up to 15% travel to domestic and international production sites. Relocation assistance available.
Requirements:
- Bachelor's degree in Mechanical, Aerospace, Manufacturing Engineering, or related discipline (experience in lieu of degree not considered)
- U.S. Person status as defined by 22 CFR § 120.62 (U.S. citizen, lawful permanent resident, or protected asylee/refugee status) required due to ITAR regulations
- 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, 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/handling solutions
- Proficiency with Siemens NX and working knowledge of SolidWorks
- Strong command of GD&T and ASME Y14.5, with working understanding of model-based definition
- Configuration management experience in PLM systems at design-engineering-lead level
- Track record of taking new products from early design into production
- Clear communication skills and ability to work across design and manufacturing teams
Preferred Qualifications:
- Experience with unmanned aircraft or small airframe programs
- Experience designing tooling or processes for multi-site, deployable, or expeditionary manufacturing
- Experience using additive manufacturing for tooling and fixtures
- Tolerance stack-up analysis experience
- Familiarity with APQP, PFMEA, and AS9100 process documentation
- Startup or high-growth company experience
