Staff Electrical Engineer - Weapons

Alumni Ventures; San Diego (CA); On-site; USD 115,000 - 135,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision plans

401(k) retirement savings plan

Unlimited PTO

Job summary

Alumni Ventures is seeking a Senior Electrical Engineer to work in San Diego, CA. This role involves leading the electrical design and integration of safe-and-arm devices for sUAS platforms. The successful candidate will ensure that munitions function safely and reliably under combat conditions.

Applicants should have a strong background in electrical engineering with at least 7 years of experience, particularly in areas related to weapons systems. This full-time office-based position offers a salary range of $115,000 – $135,000.

Qualifications

• Minimum of 7 years of electrical engineering experience, including at least 3 years in safe-and-arm systems.
• Hands-on experience in firing-set or initiation electronics.
• U.S. Citizenship and ability to obtain security clearance required.

Responsibilities

• Lead electrical design, integration, and test of ESAD/ESAF across sUAS platforms.
• Ensure compliance with DoD fuze safety standards.
• Develop and present technical material at design reviews.

Skills

Electrical engineering design

Schematic capture and PCB layout

Fuzing design safety criteria

Communication skills

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering or related field

Tools

Jira

Confluence

Job description

Senior Electrical Engineer - Weapons

San Diego, CA | Engineering | In office | Full-time

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 is building next-generation, deployable combat systems, and we’re looking for a Senior Electrical Engineer to join our Munitions Group. In this role, you’ll own the electrical design, integration, test, and certification of Electronic Safe-and-Arm Devices (ESAD) and Electronic Safe-Arm-and-Fire (ESAF) systems across our tactical sUAS platforms—ensuring every effector stays inert until intentionally armed, functions reliably on command, and remains compliant from concept through field deployment.

This role sits at the heart of how our munitions are made safe. You’ll architect and integrate the firing electronics, energy storage and management, environmental sensing, and arming logic that keep weapons inert until the right conditions are met—then deliver precise, repeatable function on command. Your day may involve schematic capture and PCB layout for a proposed firing set; the next may involve lab characterization of arm/fire sequences, or range support evaluating effect on target. From interface control documentation and preliminary design reviews to Fuze Safety Review Board qualification, you’ll be the technical owner who turns rigorous safety requirements into fielded, mission-ready hardware.

You’ll work at the intersection of warfighter intent and technical execution, balancing rigor with agility, and compliance with tactical need. This career is for electrical engineers who treat safety as a discipline, sweat the details, and thrive in a fast-moving, multi-disciplinary environment.

What You’ll Do

• Serve as the technical owner for ESAD/ESAF integration across Firestorm munition payloads—leading electrical design, integration, test, and certification on sUAS platforms.
• Design firing-set electronics—including energy storage and management, charge/fire circuitry, and initiation interfaces for electric initiators.
• Architect arming and safety logic—including independent environmental sensing and arming features—to satisfy fuze design safety criteria and prevent inadvertent function.
• Develop schematic capture, PCB layout, and mixed-signal designs, addressing signal integrity, power integrity, and reliability across the full operating envelope.
• Define and document the electrical interfaces between the ESAD/ESAF, flight controller, payload bus, and host platform via Interface Control Documents (ICDs).
• Lead environmental, EMI/EMC, and HERO (Hazards of Electromagnetic Radiation to Ordnance) analysis and testing to ensure safe operation in the deployed electromagnetic environment.
• Plan and execute test campaigns across bench, environmental, ground, and flight environments—supporting test readiness reviews, arm/fire sequence characterization, and post-test data analysis.
• Ensure all safe-and-arm designs comply with applicable DoD fuze safety standards (e.g., MIL-STD-1316, MIL-STD-1901, STANAG 4187) and applicable airworthiness and export regulations (e.g., ITAR).
• Lead or support Fuze Safety Review Board (FSRB) qualification efforts, including safety assessments, hazard analyses, and qualification test documentation.
• Develop and present technical material at internal and external design reviews, customer meetings, and certification milestones.
• Coordinate with embedded software, mechanical, and payload teams—and with external partners on initiation systems, fuzing, and energetic materials—to close the full effector chain.
• Collaborate with program managers to align technical execution with program objectives, schedules, and constraints, and support proposals, white papers, and early-phase concept development for future safe-and-arm and fuzing capabilities.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering, Electrical & Computer Engineering, or a related STEM field — or equivalent engineering experience in lieu of a degree.
• Minimum of 7 years of electrical engineering experience, including at least 3 years directly supporting safe-and-arm, fuzing, or munitions firing electronics.
• Hands‑on experience designing firing-set or initiation electronics—energy storage and management, charge/fire circuitry, and electric initiator interfaces.
• Proficiency with schematic capture and PCB layout tools, mixed-signal design, and electrical bring‑up and debug of prototype hardware.
• Working knowledge of fuze and weapon safety design criteria, including MIL-STD-1316 and related safe-and-arm standards.
• Familiarity with environmental, EMI/EMC, and HERO considerations for ordnance electronics.
• Strong communication, presentation, and interpersonal skills, with the ability to effectively interface with other departments and represent the organization as a prime technical contact.
• Customer‑focused mindset with the ability to formulate and implement plans to resolve technical engineering problems.
• U.S. Citizenship and ability to obtain and maintain a U.S. Government security clearance.

Preferred Qualifications

• Direct experience designing ESAD/ESAF systems for guided munitions, loitering munitions, or air‑delivered weapons.
• Experience taking a safe‑and‑arm device through Fuze Safety Review Board qualification.
• Hands‑on experience with electric initiation systems such as exploding bridgewire (EBW), exploding foil initiators (EFI), or hot‑wire devices.
• Working knowledge of MIL-STD-1901, MIL-STD-1911, STANAG 4187, and related fuze safety and interoperability standards.
• Experience with EMI/EMC and HERO qualification testing for ordnance.
• Experience collaborating closely with embedded software/firmware teams on arming logic and built‑in test.
• Familiarity with Modular Open Systems Architecture (MOSA) and store/payload interface standards.
• Experience working with DoD customers or within the defense acquisition environment.
• Proficiency with Jira, Confluence, or similar project tracking tools.
• Hands‑on field experience supporting ground or flight test of UAS platforms or weapon systems.
• Experience working with military range authorities and supporting Explosive Safety Submissions (ESS).
• Active DoD security clearance.

Work Environment

• Based at our Headquarters in San Diego, CA.
• Ability to travel up to 20%, both CONUS and OCONUS.
• PPE is provided; adherence to all safety protocols and environmental controls is mandatory.
• Ability to lift 30 pounds.

Compensation

US Salary Range: $115,000 – $135,000 USD.

Benefits & Perks

• Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision plans
• 401(k) retirement savings plan
• Equity grants for new hires
• Unlimited PTO
• Generous company holiday calendar, including a holiday hiatus in November and December
• Parental leave
• Lifestyle spending account
• FSA, DCFSA, and HSA options
• Hospital indemnity, critical illness, and accident insurance
• Basic life/AD&D, short‑term and long‑term disability insurance fully covered by Firestorm with the option to purchase additional coverage
• Mental health resources, including free 24/7 services and additional work‑life supports such as legal and financial assistance

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 diversity and inclusion. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law. We actively encourage individuals from all backgrounds to apply.

Contact

If you have questions, please contact [e-mail].