UAS Operational Flight Team Lead
Firestorm
San Diego, CA, USA
USD 110k-115k / year
Posted on May 21, 2025
UAS Operational Flight Team Lead
San Diego, CA
Flight Testing
In office
Full-time
UAS Operational Flight Team Lead
Location: San Diego, CA (On-site | 60% Travel)
Security Clearance Required: US Secret (or ability to obtain)
Relocation: Available for qualified candidates
What We're Building
At Firestorm, we are not in the business of incremental change—we are in the fight to redefine deterrence. Our modular, additively manufactured drones are designed to put next-generation capabilities in the hands of the warfighter. Our products are fast, affordable, interoperable, and lethal. Firestorm is building autonomy-enabled platforms that don’t just meet the mission—they adapt to it. Firestorm is software-driven, hardware-flexible, and purpose-built for the near-peer fight. If you’ve worn the uniform and operated UAS downrange or trained those who have...you’ll feel right at home on the Firestorm team!
About the Role
Firestorm is looking for a proven operator to lead Firestorm’s Operational Flight Team. You will be the tip of the spear leading flying, instructing, and integrating with the very units that will take our systems into contested environments. As the Operational Flight Team Lead, you will be in the loop with our engineers while shaping product development based on real-world ops. Your position will take you into the field with our customers, translating TTPs into capability.
This is a high-impact role where you will be responsible for launching and scaling Firestorm’s operator ecosystem—from CONUS demos to overseas deployments.
A Day in the Life...
- Morning – Pre-flight brief at the hangar. You’re leading a test flight on a new Tempest configuration with underwing payloads. Quick sync with engineering—there’s a new edge AI module to validate in flight. You walk the bird, run your checklist, and take it live over restricted airspace.
- Midday – Debrief, system tuning, and an AAR with the team. You compile insights for a firmware tweak and push feedback into WarRoom. Then you pivot to the MTT—two new operators are inbound from a partner unit. You run a crawl-walk-run progression that covers planning, safe ops, and multi-aircraft coordination.
- Evening – You prep for next week’s mission with a SOF detachment in Hawaii. Logistics are tight, so you run an ORM brief and build out a risk matrix. You’re also finalizing a training syllabus—these operators don’t need PowerPoints, they need reps and realism.
Your Mission
- Lead Firestorm’s sUAS flight operations, test campaigns, and customer fielding events
- Plan and execute live-flight missions in compliance with DoD and FAA standards
- Develop SOPs, risk assessments, and AARs to maximize mission effectiveness and safety
- Train and certify operators—U.S. military, allied partners, and agency customers
- Own the mobile training playbook: tactics, curriculum, scheduling, and delivery
- Integrate Firestorm UAS into real-world CONOPS and multi-domain exercises
- Serve as the tactical SME for ISR, precision strike, and EW use cases
- Maintain fleet readiness, oversee logistics, and manage field repair workflows
- Liaise directly with engineering to refine UAS systems based on operator feedback
Who You Are
- Prior military UAS operator or instructor with 1–4+ years hands-on experience
- Comfortable leading from the front—whether it’s in a desert FOB or a flight test range
- Fluent in test planning, range coordination, and TTP development
- FAA Part 107 certified (or willing to obtain); familiar with Group 1–3 platforms
- Experienced working with multidisciplinary teams in fast-paced environments
- Proficient in airspace deconfliction, ORM, and flight safety
- Able to travel up to 60%, including to remote/forward environments
- Able to lift 25+ lbs and work in variable weather conditions
- U.S. Citizen with active Secret clearance or ability to obtain
Bonus If You Bring
- Experience with additively manufactured aircraft or rapid prototyping
- Familiarity with simulation and training systems for UAS
- Background supporting SOF, ISR, or expeditionary aviation operations
- Prior experience building a training pipeline or certifying operators
- Comfort operating in a startup environment—chaos is a feature, not a bug
Salary: $110,000 – 115,000
Firestorm is committed to hiring and retaining a world-class workforce. We are proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer making decisions without regard to race, color, religion, creed, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, national origin, age, veteran status, disability, or any other protected class. U.S. Citizenship is required for all positions with a government clearance and certain other restricted positions. Our culture at Firestorm fosters collaboration, respect, and trust to empower passionate people to do their best work. We offer a competitive salary, comprehensive benefits, and opportunities for career growth.
Why Firestorm
You will be joining a mission-driven team building tech that matters. We are moving fast, staying lean, and putting capability into the hands of warfighters—not five years from now, but this year. At Firestorm, you will shape product, influence policy, and train the next generation of tactical operators. This isn’t a job—it’s a calling!
If you're ready to lead from the front and bring operational rigor to a cutting-edge defense tech company, we want to talk.
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Req ID: R7
