Aerospace Engineer - Multidisciplinary Design, Analysis, and Optimization

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.

Responsibilities

• Architect, develop, and maintain Firestorm’s 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.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Aerospace Engineering or a related field with 3+ years of relevant experience, or a Master’s 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

• Master’s 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 2–3 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; 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.

Pay

US Salary Range: $120,000 – $170,000 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

• Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision plans.
• 401(k) Retirement Savings Plan.
• 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: Free mental health resources 24/7 including therapy and more. Additional work-life services, such as free legal and financial support.