Senior Mechanical Engineering Leader – Aerospace & Defense

Firestorm; San Diego (CA); On-site; USD 180,000 - 210,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental, and vision plans

401(k) with company match

Equity grants

Unlimited PTO

Generous parental leave

Lifestyle Spending Account

Job summary

Firestorm in San Diego, CA is seeking a Senior Manager, Mechanical Engineering to lead the mechanical team responsible for airframes, structures, mechanisms, and integration hardware across our sUAS platforms. You will set design standards, drive change control, and guide cross-functional IPTs with agility.

The role combines hands-on leadership and strategic oversight: hiring, mentoring, and developing engineers; overseeing design reviews (PDR/CDR); ensuring producibility with DFM/DFMA; and

Qualifications

• Bachelor's in Mechanical or Aerospace Engineering (Master's preferred).
• 10+ years in mechanical engineering with aerospace/defense experience.
• 5+ years in direct people management and mentoring.
• Experience with change control, PLM systems, and IPTs.
• Strong communication with engineers, executives, customers, and stakeholders.

Responsibilities

• Set technical direction for mechanical engineering across aircraft platforms.
• Lead design reviews (PDR/CDR) and ensure producibility and quality.
• Hire, mentor, and develop engineers; build a scalable team.
• Plan and resource work across programs; manage schedules and risks.
• Represent mechanical engineering in cross-functional IPTs and program reviews.

Skills

People leadership

Cross-functional collaboration

Technical leadership

Communication

Program management

Education

Bachelor's in Mechanical or Aerospace Engineering

Tools

Arena/PLM knowledge

Windchill/Teamcenter

Job description

Firestorm in San Diego, CA is seeking a Senior Manager, Mechanical Engineering to lead the mechanical team responsible for airframes, structures, mechanisms, and integration hardware across our sUAS platforms. You will set design standards, drive change control, and guide cross-functional IPTs with agility.

The role combines hands-on leadership and strategic oversight: hiring, mentoring, and developing engineers; overseeing design reviews (PDR/CDR); ensuring producibility with DFM/DFMA; and