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Staff Configuration Management Specialist
FirestormSan Diego, CASenior$140,000 - $160,0007+ years
Apply 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 seeking a Configuration Manager to own product configuration across our aircraft platforms. Modularity is the core of what we build: swappable propulsion, quick-change payload and mission modules, interchangeable radios, sensors, and navigation suites, and airframes that can be printed at the point of need inside an xCell. That flexibility is our competitive advantage — and it multiplies the number of valid configurations we have to be able to define, build, deliver, and support.
This role exists to make that modularity manageable. You will be the single source of truth for what a given aircraft actually is: which baseline it was built to, what changed, when the change took effect, what it supersedes, and what is approved to fly. You will own the change control process end to end, define the product structure that lets a modular aircraft family be configured without re-deriving it every time, and extend that control across the digital thread — from requirements and CAD through EBOM and MBOM to the as-built record of a tail number returning from the field.
This is a hands-on role reporting into Hardware Engineering, working directly alongside design engineering, production, quality, and supply chain. We are moving fast and building at increasing rate; we need someone rigorous enough to hold the line on the process and pragmatic enough to keep it from becoming a bottleneck.
What You'll Do
- Own the end-to-end engineering change process — ECR authoring and analysis, CCB disposition, release, implementation, and closure verification — and run it at a cadence that matches how fast we build
- Define and maintain the product variant structure for a modular aircraft family, including option dictionaries, 150% or superset BOMs, and configuration rules, so that a valid aircraft configuration can be specified, quoted, and built without being reinvented each time.
- Establish and control baselines across the digital thread — requirements, EBOM, MBOM, as-designed, as-built, and as-maintained records — across the Tempest family, Hurricane, El Niño, and future platforms
- Own part numbering, revision, and effectivity conventions, including the judgment call on when a change warrants a rev roll versus a new part number, and drive that convention consistently across mechanical, electrical, and payload hardware
- Reconcile configuration deltas between builds: what carried forward from the prior top assembly, what rolled revision, what is net-new, and what that means for parts already purchased or on the shelf
- Perform inventory disposition analysis on every approved change — use-as-is, rework, scrap, or run-out — so that change decisions are made with the cost and schedule impact visible up front
- Administer our PLM and CAD data management environment (Arena and SolidWorks today), and support the evaluation and potential migration to a Teamcenter/NX-class toolchain
- Extend configuration control to additively manufactured articles — print files, build and slicer profiles, material lots, and machine effectivity — so that an airframe produced forward in an xCell is traceable to the same controlled baseline as one built in San Diego
- Own serialization and as-built record capture across prototype, pilot, and production builds, including capturing field modifications and deviations made during flight test
- Control interface definitions for third-party and government-furnished payloads, so that each integration has a documented, versioned interface rather than tribal knowledge
- Chair the Change Control Board and prepare the configuration data packages for design gates and program milestones (PDR, CDR, delta design reviews, MRR) and for customer technical data deliverables
- Support the Payloads & Integrations team by controlling configurations produced through rapid, out-of-cycle integration work and folding proven configurations back into the mainline baseline
- Partner with Supply Chain and Production to ensure changes land with the right effectivity, that kitting and buy plans track the released BOM, and that the shop floor is never building to a superseded drawing
- Report on change health — cycle time, aging ECOs, rework and rejection rates, cost of change — and use the data to continuously improve the process rather than just enforce it
- Ensure configuration processes satisfy AS9100, ITAR, and DoD program requirements without adding ceremony that does not earn its keep
Required Qualifications
- Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Industrial Technology, or a related field (or equivalent practical experience).
- U.S. Citizenship required due to ITAR regulations.
- 7+ years of configuration management, product data management, or engineering release experience in a hardware environment with real rigor (aerospace, defense, automotive, medical device, or similar)
- Demonstrated hands-on ownership of a formal change control process: ECR/ECO authoring, CCB facilitation, engineering release, and effectivity setting
- Working fluency with a PLM system (Arena, Teamcenter, Windchill, ENOVIA, Duro, or similar) and with CAD data management practices
- Strong command of EBOM and MBOM structures, indented BOMs, part numbering schemes, and revision control — including where the engineering and manufacturing views legitimately diverge
- Exceptional attention to detail. You are the person who catches the wrong revision buried on line 340 of a 500-line indented BOM, and you care that it was wrong
- Demonstrated history of holding yourself and your teammates to a high standard, even when it creates discomfort.
- Ability to work from incomplete information, chase down the missing decision, and drive it to closure rather than waiting for someone else to
- Strong written communication — your baselines, change notices, and process documentation will be read by engineers, technicians, buyers, and customers alike
- Comfort working cross-functionally with design engineering, manufacturing, quality, and supply chain, including telling a program that a change is not ready to release
Preferred Qualifications
- Experience managing configuration for a modular or variant-heavy product line (superset/150% BOMs, option and variant dictionaries, product configurators, effectivity rules)
- Experience with UAS, aircraft, or other systems under airworthiness, type design, or safety-of-flight control
- Experience supporting a company through the transition from prototype and pilot builds into rate production
- Familiarity with EIA-649, MIL-STD-31000 and technical data package delivery, AS9100, or DoD configuration management and CDRL requirements
- Experience treating additive manufacturing build files, print parameters, and material specifications as controlled configuration items
- Experience administering, implementing, or migrating a PLM system, including data cleanup and user training
- Experience integrating PLM with ERP/MRP for BOM sync, effectivity, and inventory disposition
- Scripting or data analysis ability (Python, SQL, Excel/Power Query) for BOM comparison, audits, and change reporting
- Background that includes both startup and scale-stage product development.
- Experience coordinating configuration baselines with external development partners, subcontractors, or government customers
- Experience managing software and firmware release baselines alongside hardware configuration
- Experience supporting field deployments, depot, or sustainment activities and reconciling field configuration records
- CMPIC, NDIA, or equivalent configuration management certification
Work Environment
Based at our Headquarters in San Diego, CA. We welcome candidates who are local or open to relocating; relocation assistance is available and may be included in the offer package where appropriate
This is an onsite role. The work requires direct access to engineering, production, and the aircraft themselves
- This role includes occasional domestic travel (approximately 10%) for field testing, production support, and demonstrations
Compensation
US Salary Range: $140,000 - $160,000 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 growth. In 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 plan.
- 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 November, & 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 don't hesitate to reach out to us at careers@launchfirestorm.com so we can provide the support you need.
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