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Aerospace Engineer Multidisciplinary Design, Analysis, and Optimization

Firestorm

Job Location:

San Diego, CA - USA

Monthly Salary: $ 120000 - 170000

Posted: 5 August 2026 (3 days ago)

Application Deadline: 2 November 2026

Vacancies: 1 Vacancy

Department:

Engineering

Job Summary

Who We Are

At Firestorm we are building the future of expeditionary defense manufacturing and autonomous systems. Modern conflict has exposed a fundamental problem: the systems needed most by operators are often too expensive too slow to produce and too difficult to sustain at scale. Firestorm exists to change that.

We develop mission-adaptable aerial systems and deployable manufacturing infrastructure designed to put capability directly into the hands of the warfighter. From modular unmanned aircraft to xCell our deployable microfactory our goal is to make defense systems rapidly deployable adaptable and producible at the point of need.

We are looking for builders operators and problem-solvers who want to work on meaningful technology with real-world impact.

About the Role

Firestorm Labs is seeking a highly skilled and motivated Aerospace Engineer to lead the development of our in-house Multidisciplinary Design Analysis and Optimization (MDAO) tool. This tool will sit at the heart of how Firestorm designs its next generation of mission-adaptable unmanned aerial systems coupling aerodynamics propulsion structures mass properties stability & control performance and cost models into a unified automated design environment.

You will architect the framework build and integrate the discipline models and put the tool to work running the trade studies and design optimizations that shape our vehicles. This position requires a deep foundation in aircraft conceptual and preliminary design coupled with strong software development skills and practical experience building or working within MDAO environments.

What Youll Do

Architect develop and maintain Firestorms MDAO framework (e.g. built on OpenMDAO or a comparable environment) including the underlying data structures solver strategies and workflow orchestration.
Develop and integrate discipline analysis modules aerodynamics (vortex-lattice panel and CFD-based) propulsion performance decks structures and mass properties stability & control and mission/performance analysis.
Build parametric geometry pipelines (e.g. OpenVSP or CAD-integrated) that enable rapid exploration of unconventional UAS configurations.
Implement and apply optimization methods including gradient-based and gradient-free optimization design of experiments and surrogate modeling.
Validate tool outputs against wind tunnel flight test and higher-fidelity analysis data and quantify model uncertainty.
Execute vehicle-level trade studies and sizing analyses to support new product development and customer-driven configuration changes.
Work cross-functionally with airframe propulsion manufacturing and autonomy teams to ensure the tool reflects real-world design constraints including additive manufacturing considerations.
Establish best practices for version control testing documentation and continuous integration of engineering software.

Required Qualifications

Bachelors degree in Aerospace Engineering or a related field with 3 years of relevant experience or a Masters degree with 1 years.
Strong foundation in aircraft conceptual/preliminary design aerodynamics flight performance and stability & control.
Proficiency in Python and experience developing engineering analysis software beyond one-off scripts.
Hands-on experience with an MDAO framework (e.g. OpenMDAO ModelCenter Dakota SUAVE) or demonstrated experience building multidisciplinary analysis pipelines.
Experience with numerical optimization methods and design space exploration.
Ability to operate in fast-paced iterative development environments.
U.S. Person status (Citizen or Permanent Resident) required due to ITAR regulations.

Preferred Qualifications

Masters or PhD in Aerospace Engineering with a focus on MDAO aircraft design or applied optimization.
Experience with tools such as OpenVSP AVL XFOIL SU2 Fluent STAR-CCM or NASTRAN.
Experience with surrogate modeling uncertainty quantification or gradient-based optimization with analytic derivatives.
Prior experience designing small UAS especially Group 23 unmanned aircraft.
Familiarity with design for additive manufacturing.
Experience with software engineering practices: Git CI/CD unit testing and containerized or HPC compute environments.

Work Environment

This role is based in San Diego CA; we welcome applicants who are open to relocating. Relocation assistance is available and may be included in the offer package where appropriate.
Must be able to lift up to 25 lbs. and wear appropriate PPE as required
Willingness to travel up to 25% domestically for field operations integration events and testing

Compensation

US Salary Range: $120000 $170000 USD

The posted salary range reflects an estimate based on a variety of compensation factors including but not limited to relevant experience education certifications specialized skills geographic location and business needs. Actual compensation may vary and this range is subject to change as our compensation structure or market conditions evolve.

Benefits & Perks

Our culture fosters collaboration respect and trust empowering passionate people to do their best work. We offer a competitive salary comprehensive benefits and opportunities for career addition to an opportunity to take part in an innovative collaborative and fast-growing business with a highly motivated and skilled team we also take pride in taking care of our employees. Here are just a few ways that we show our appreciation:

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 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.

Export Control Compliance

To conform to U.S. government export control regulations including the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) and Export Administration Regulations (EAR) you must be a U.S. citizen lawful permanent resident of the U.S. protected individual as defined by 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3) or otherwise eligible to obtain the required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State or U.S. Department of Commerce.

Equal Opportunity Statement

Firestorm is an equal opportunity employer committed to creating a diverse and inclusive workplace and upholding equitable hiring practices. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race color religion sex sexual orientation gender identity national origin disability protected veteran status or any other characteristic under federal state or local law including those with a criminal history in a manner consistent with the requirements of applicable state and local laws including the CA Fair Chance Initiative for Hiring Ordinance. We actively encourage members of recognized minorities women Veterans and those with disabilities to apply and we work to create a welcoming and supportive environment for all applicants throughout the interview process.

Firestorm is committed to fostering an inclusive and accessible work environment. If you require accommodations or assistance during the application process please dont hesitate to reach out to us at so we can provide the support you need.

Required Experience:

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