Innovation Engineer

About the role

• Small Arms / Suppressor / Accessory / Defense Skunk Works environment.

What you'll do

• Lead the design and development of new products, components, and accessories from concept through pre-commercialization
• Conduct research on emerging technologies, materials, and manufacturing methods to drive innovation
• Create 3D models, engineering drawings, and specifications using CAD software
• Analyze test data and implement design improvements based on findings
• Collaborate with manufacturing teams to optimize designs for manufacturability and cost efficiency
• Support prototyping efforts, including hands-on assembly and evaluation of test units
• Conduct root cause analysis and implement corrective actions for product issues

Qualifications

• · Technical Foundation

o Mechanical engineering fundamentals with deep understanding of firearms and accessories

o CAD proficiency (SolidWorks, Creo, Fusion, etc) with ability to rapidly iterate designs

• Multidisciplinary Technical Skills
• Prototyping & Testing
• • Rapid prototyping mindset: comfort with "good enough to test" over perfection
  • Hands-on troubleshooting in field conditions
• Manufacturing & Producibility
• • Design for manufacturability (DFM) and design for assembly (DFA)
  • Understanding of production processes: CNC, MIM, stamping, extrusion, IM
  • Tolerance stack-up analysis and GD&T experience
• Domain-Specific Knowledge
• • Operational experience or deep user empathy (combat veteran, competitive shooter, or extensive end-user engagement)
  • Threat assessment and emerging tactical requirements
  • International small arms landscape and competitive analysis
  • Military standards (MIL-STD-810, MIL-STD-1913, etc.) and proof testing requirements
• Skunk Works Mindset
• • Extreme ownership and self-direction
  • Comfort with ambiguity and rapidly changing requirements
  • Speed bias: 80% solution tomorrow beats 100% solution next quarter
  • Scrappiness: making do with limited resources
  • Direct communication style, bypassing bureaucracy when mission-critical
  • Willingness to challenge conventional wisdom
• Soft Skills & Attributes
• • Technical communication: translating complex engineering to military end-users and non-technical leadership
  • Collaborative spirit despite independent work style
  • Intellectual curiosity: constant learning across disciplines
  • Resilience: handling failed tests and rapid pivots without losing momentum
• Cultural Fit Indicators
• • Thrives in unstructured environments
  • Driven by mission impact over process compliance
  • Comfortable being the "jack of all trades, master of several"
  • Excited by technical risk-taking
  • Prefers building things to endless analysis
  • Can context-switch rapidly between projects
• Multidisciplinary Technical Skills
• • Electronics and programming
  • Optics and photonics experience
  • Additive manufacturing expertise (DMLS, SLM, binder jetting) for rapid prototyping and novel geometries
• Bonus Differentiators
• • Competition shooting experience (USPSA, 3-Gun, PRS) for user perspective
  • Tactical classes or prior military experience
  • Software development skills
  • Materials science experience: metallurgy, composites, polymers, and emerging materials (metal matrix composites, advanced ceramics, carbon fiber applications)

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