Senior Product Manager, Expeditionary Manufacturing at Firestorm – San Diego, California

Who We Are
At Firestorm, we’re on a mission to revolutionize how defense solutions are designed and delivered. Our goal is to empower U.S. ally nations to effectively deter aggressors—regardless of their defense budget—through innovative, cost-efficient technologies. We call this vision “democratized deterrence.” As a VC-backed company at the intersection of defense and Silicon Valley, we’re pioneering the development of mission-adaptable aerial vehicles that put power back into the hands of operators. By prioritizing operator effectiveness, we’re pioneering a new era of aerial vehicle design. We aim to upend the traditional defense procurement model by delivering world-class capabilities at a fraction of the usual cost. Join us at Firestorm as we redefine defense procurement, making cutting-edge technology accessible to all at a fraction of the cost.
About the Role We are looking for a Senior Product Manager to lead the strategy and execution of Firestorm’s mobile manufacturing product line, xCell. As a member of our Product team, your mission is to ensure we are building the right things, in the right order and to the right scope, while staying tightly aligned with our engineering, manufacturing and business development teams. This role will define product strategy, manage product roadmaps, and ensure successful deployment of mobile manufacturing systems to U.S. and allied defense customers.
You will embed directly with cross-functional teams that regularly interact with defense customers, operators, and end users. You will translate what you learn in the field into clear priorities, strong product artifacts, and executable roadmaps. This role requires a mix of curiosity, clarity and decisiveness, as well as the ability to influence technical and strategic decisions. We are looking for someone who is not afraid to dive into complex problems, thrives in ambiguity, and who has a strong sense of ownership. You must be proactive in asking the right questions, engaging the right people, and balancing user needs, technical feasibility and business impact. What You’ll Do

• Define the product vision, strategy, and roadmap for the xCell mobile manufacturing platform
• Translate user needs, customer feedback, and market trends into clearly defined product requirements and investment opportunities
• Travel to customer sites, observe operations, and engage directly with defense users to deeply understand workflows, pain points, and constraints
• Prioritize features, capabilities, and engineering investment to maximize near-term impact and long-term product differentiation
• Drive development from early concept through key milestones, including SRR, PDR, and CDR, in collaboration with engineering and program leads
• Keep stakeholders aligned by clearly communicating roadmap progress, key risks, and delivery timelines across Engineering, Growth, and Executive teams
• Identify gaps in the roadmap by surfacing unmet customer needs and proposing new initiatives in collaboration with Product Leadership
• Participate in real-world testing to validate new features, uncover edge cases, and ensure product readiness
• Actively partner with Growth, Engineering, and Manufacturing teams to align objectives, surface tradeoffs, and remove blockers
• Build and maintain product artifacts including requirements documentation, user journeys, backlogs, and release plans
• Support business development with product briefs, proposal content, and customer engagements
• Make scope and timing tradeoff decisions in coordination with technical and business leadership
• Maintain a systems-level view of your product, accounting for interdependencies, scale, future integrations, and change management

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering or a related field
• 8+ years of experience in product management or a program management role.
• U.S. Citizenship required due to ITAR regulations & the ability to obtain and maintain a Department of Defense (DoD) security clearance
• Track record of delivering complex technical products, ideally in aerospace, defense, or advanced manufacturing domains
• Strong understanding of manufacturing operations, supply chain, and full product lifecycle management
• Experience translating ambiguous customer needs into structured product requirements and development plans
• Proven ability to lead cross-functional teams, make tradeoffs, and drive alignment across engineering and business functions
• Excellent communication and storytelling skills with both technical and non-technical audiences
• High level of ownership; you run toward the fire. Whether that’s clarifying a technical detail or helping navigate a regulatory constraint.

Preferred Qualifications

• 10+ years of experience in product management or a program management role.
• Experience with mobile manufacturing, additive manufacturing, or digital factory platforms
• Familiarity with DoD acquisition processes, operational test and evaluation (OT&E), and defense program lifecycles
• Strong systems thinking mindset with an ability to balance immediate needs and long-term vision
• Passion for building tools that serve operators in complex, real-world environments
• Background in startup or high-growth environments

Work Environment

• Based at our Headquarters in San Diego, CA
• This role requires an on-site presence
• We welcome candidates who are local or open to relocating; relocation assistance is available and may be included in the offer package where appropriate.
• Willingness to travel up to 20% domestically for field operations, integration events, & customer support.

This position typically operates in a standard office setting and manufacturing environment. This role requires use of standard office equipment and may involve exposure to loud noise, heat, cold, dust, or chemicals (with PPE). The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met to successfully perform the essential functions of the job. Ability to sit, stand, bend, reach, climb, and move about regularly throughout the day. Must have manual dexterity to operate standard office equipment.
Compensation US Salary Range: $133,000 - $182,000 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 plans
• 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.