Design, build, secure, and operate Crucible’s cloud infrastructure across commercial cloud, GovCloud, on-premise, and air-gapped environments. Responsibilities include Kubernetes, Terraform, Helm, GitOps, networking, identity and security controls, CI/CD, observability, distributed-system debugging, deployment tooling, and infrastructure reliability. The role partners with software teams to translate ambiguous requirements into scalable, secure platform solutions.
Who We Are About the Role What You’ll Do Required Qualifications Preferred Qualifications Work Environment Compensation Benefits & Perks Export Control Compliance Equal Opportunity Statement
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.
Firestorm builds uncrewed aircraft and the manufacturing network that produces them: full-capability plants, deployable xCell edge factories, and forward-deployed sites that stand up production near the point of need.
Crucible is the software that runs that manufacturing network. It runs across commercial cloud, government cloud, factory, and air-gapped environments, with infrastructure that has to support rapid development, secure deployment, and reliable production operation.
We are hiring a Senior or Staff Cloud Infrastructure Engineer to expand the Infrastructure team supporting Crucible. You will help shape how Crucible runs in the cloud, working directly with software engineers to design, build, secure, and operate the platform as it grows.
- Design Crucible's cloud platform — Work with software teams to define the infrastructure, services, networking, and deployment patterns behind Crucible capabilities.
- Build cloud infrastructure — Develop and operate Kubernetes, cloud services, networking, and infrastructure across development and production environments.
- Own infrastructure as code — Build and evolve Terraform, Helm, and GitOps workflows.
- Build secure cloud solutions — Design identity, access, network boundaries, secrets, and other cloud controls alongside platform security.
- Improve developer velocity — Work across infrastructure and Crucible repositories to improve deployment, environments, tooling, and development workflows.
- Make production reliable — Build observability, recovery, deployment safety, and operational tooling for Crucible.
- Support complex deployments — Help extend the platform across commercial cloud, GovCloud, and on-premise or disconnected environments.
- U.S. Citizenship and ability to obtain and maintain a U.S. Government security clearance
- 6+ years of cloud infrastructure, platform engineering, or SRE experience with production systems; with a proven track record of success
- Deep experience with cloud architecture and operating production cloud environments
- Deep experience operating Kubernetes in production
- Strong Terraform and infrastructure-as-code fundamentals
- Strong cloud networking, Linux, identity, and security fundamentals
- Experience building CI/CD, deployment, and GitOps systems
- Experience with production observability and debugging distributed systems
- Strong software engineering or scripting skills, including the ability to work across application and infrastructure code
- Demonstrated ability to design cloud solutions from ambiguous product and engineering requirements
- Experience with AWS and AWS GovCloud
- Experience with Helm, Argo CD, and service mesh technologies such as Istio
- Experience designing secure multi-account or multi-environment cloud architectures
- Experience with IAM, OIDC/OAuth2, secrets management, PKI, or workload identity
- Experience deploying containerized systems into on-premise or air-gapped environments
- Experience building infrastructure for an early or rapidly scaling software platform
- This role is based 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.
US Salary Range: $175,000 – $195,000 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.
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 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: 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.
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.
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 [email protected] so we can provide the support you need.
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