Chief of Staff to the CTO (San Diego)
Firestorm
San Diego, CA
Who We Are At Firestorm, were on a mission to revolutionize how defense solutions are designed and delivered. Our goal is to empower the U.S. and ally nations to effectively deter aggressors regardless of their defense budget through innovative, cost-effective technologies. We call this vision democratized deterrence. As a VC-backed company at the intersection of defense and Silicon Valley, were pioneering the development of mission-adaptable aerial vehicles that put power back into the hands of operators. By prioritizing operator effectiveness, were 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 our partners. About The Role As Chief of Staff to the Chief Technical Officer (CTO), you will serve in a critical, high-trust, and strategic role supporting the Co-Founder and CTO across a range of responsibilities. You will help ensure alignment, execution, and momentum on the companys technical priorities, spanning advanced additive manufacturing, autonomy, hardware, product, and software. You are proactive, anticipate needs, translate ideas into action, remove obstacles, and help drive communication and decision-making processes across the company's largest and most complex organization. You are exceptionally organized, skilled at creating clear and compelling presentations, meticulous about grammar, and someone who steps in to fill gaps without hesitation. This position demands the highest levels of professionalism, discretion, and adaptability within the intense, fast-paced environment of a cutting-edge hard tech startup. This role is ideal for someone with a strong technical foundation and intuition, strategic thinking ability, and a talent for synthesizing information, setting priorities, and driving execution across a complex organization. You operate equally well as an advisor and an operator, maintaining a mission-first mindset, a low ego, and the resilience needed to support a fast-moving organization. This role will help ensure that critical work stays on track, manage high-level executive engagements with poise, and position the CTO for success in every setting. As a key point of contact for executive communication, you will help coordinate across leadership, employees, customers, partners, and other external stakeholders. As the CTOs trusted partner, you will provide operational and strategic support to keep them focused, prepared, and empowered to lead effectively. What Youll Do Executive and Strategic Enablement
- Act as a disciplined, strategic partner to the CTO, translating their vision into plans and cross-functional execution across advanced additive manufacturing, autonomy, hardware, product, and software teams.
- Provide high-level administrative support to the CTO, including managing schedules, meetings, and travel arrangements.
- Act as a primary point of contact for internal and external stakeholders on all matters pertaining to the CTO.
- Lead and manage special projects as assigned by the CTO, ensuring timely completion and alignment with company goals.
- Prepare meeting agendas, briefing materials, slide decks, and meeting notes for internal reviews, customer engagements, and strategic sessions. Attend key meetings to ensure all documentation is readily available, ensuring action items are accurately captured and tracked.
- Plan and manage executive travel, including engagement planning & execution, flights, secure lodging, ground transportation and detailed itineraries. Handle expense reporting, track executive expenses and reimbursements, logistical planning, and day-to-day operations with accuracy, discretion, and efficiency.
- Manage and drive the CTOs operating rhythm, translating vision into execution through effective coordination of leadership team meetings, design reviews, executive check-ins, customer briefings, off-sites, and other key engagements.
- Monitor high-impact initiatives, identify blockers, and proactively resolve issues to keep teams moving and aligned.
- Support ongoing initiatives by tracking action items, deadlines, and key deliverables, while coordinating cross-functional efforts to ensure timely execution and maintaining clear, consistent communication on progress.
- Represent the Office of the CTO in meetings and working sessions, escalating issues when needed and synthesizing outcomes into actionable follow-ups.
- Own scheduling and help create calendar order out of chaos for the CTO, ensuring zero scheduling issues with internal or external contacts.
- Serve as an information hub between the CTO and engineering, product, operations, and external stakeholders.
- Ensure communication flow is clear, timely, and effective, from internal technical updates to strategic briefings.
- Draft, edit, and produce high-quality communications and materials, including professional emails, memos, board- and partner-facing content, Department of Defense (DoD) presentations, internal reviews, public statements, and cross-functional updates.
- Handle personal and proprietary information with discretion and maintain the highest level of confidentiality.
- Support hiring, onboarding, and team structuring for the technical organization.
- Drive culture-building efforts within the technical org, ensuring values alignment, high performance, and transparency.
- Help establish scalable processes for engineering collaboration, documentation, and innovation.
- Support with additional tasks and strategic initiatives as assigned, assume other responsibilities as they arise in alignment with evolving team priorities and organizational goals, and contribute to related efforts that drive departmental effectiveness.
- Bachelors degree in Computer Science, Engineering, Business or a related technical field
- Minimum of 5 years of experience as an executive assistant or in a similar role in technical project management, operations, strategy, or consulting, preferably in a high-growth, tech-centric environment
- 3+ years of experience supporting a senior executive, preferably at the C-level
- Incredible organizational, multitasking, and time management skills
- Demonstrated ability to manage shifting priorities with stoicism and professionalism
- Able to operate with both urgency and patience in a fast-paced, ambiguous environment
- Experience coordinating executive-level travel, communications, and logistics
- Impeccable judgment, discretion, and trustworthiness with personal and confidential information
- Strong emotional intelligence and a collaborative, low-ego approach, to building relationships across all levels
- The ability to anticipate needs and solve problems before they surface; a no task too small attitude paired with ownership of high-priority deliverables
- High proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite, especially Outlook, Teams, PowerPoint, Word and Excel
- Exceptional written and verbal communication skills
- Must be able to lift up to 30 lbs.
- Willingness & ability to travel for event preparation or support operational tasks
- U.S. Citizenship required & the ability to obtain and maintain a U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) security clearance.
- Master's degree in engineering, a MBA, or a related technical field.
- Previous experience in a venture-backed aerospace, defense, or hard tech company, particularly within a hyper-growth startup, enterprise technology environment, or fast-paced consulting firm.
- Experience working within or supporting DoD, military programs, dual-use technologies or complex R&D environments
- Experience working with cross-functional teams, external partners, government agencies, and senior stakeholders
- A steady, proactive presence in a dynamic, high-pressure environment
- Commitment to the mission, supporting the CTO so they can focus on advancing critical objectives
- Deep understanding of technology org dynamics; familiarity with software engineering or product development environments is a plus
- We offer comprehensive med]]>
Posted 2025-08-10
Recommended Jobs
Registered Nurse (RN) - Labor & Delivery (Full-Time, Nights)
NurseAmerica Healthcare
Torrance, CA
Job Title: Registered Nurse (RN) Labor & Delivery (Full-Time, Nights) Location : Torrance, CA About NurseAmerica: NurseAmerica is a nationally recognized provider of healthca…
View Details
Posted 2025-08-07
Sr. Process Engineering Manager - Injection Molding
EssilorLuxottica Group
Foothill Ranch, CA
Requisition ID: 885912 Position: Full-Time Shift : Total Rewards: Benefits/Incentive Information If you’ve worn a pair of glasses, we’ve already met. We are a global leader in th…
View Details
Posted 2025-07-29
Remote Nurse Practitioner (FT/PT) - Live Anywhere
AlediumHR
San Francisco, CA
AlediumHR is proud to partner with a trailblazing healthcare organization dedicated to transforming how men and women approach their health. By blending expert care with modern technology, our client …
View Details
Posted 2025-08-07
Senior Counsel (Sexual Torts Defense)
Tyson & Mendes LLP
San Diego, CA
Job Description Job Description Senior Trial Counsel – Sexual Torts Defense Litigation Defend. Advocate. Win. California Bar License Required At Tyson & Mendes , we stand at the forefr…
View Details
Posted 2025-07-30
Line Cook
GO FALAFEL GREEK FOOD
Stockton, CA
Join Our Team as a Line Cook at Go Falafel Greek Food! Are you passionate about creating delicious dishes and working in a fast-paced kitchen environment? Go Falafel Greek Food in Stockton, CA is loo…
View Details
Posted 2025-08-07
Summer Camp Counselor
C5 Los Angeles
Big Bear, CA
C5 Youth Foundation of Southern California is a five-year leadership development program. C5LA recruits high-potential youth from under-resourced areas of Los Angeles and provides resources, support, …
View Details
Posted 2025-08-07
Froster - BOH
Sprinkles Cupcakes
Newport Beach, CA
Job Description Job Description If you are an artist at heart with an eye for detail, you could be perfect for the role of Cupcake Froster at Sprinkles. You will hand frost all cupcakes and add…
View Details
Posted 2025-07-29
Senior Platform Software Engineer
Pixar Animation Studios
Emeryville, CA
Senior Platform Software Engineer Location Emeryville, CA : Pixar's Software R&D team develops the studio's in-house proprietary animation software. We are looking for software engineers committed to …
View Details
Posted 2025-07-31
GRILL COOK
The Avra Group
Beverly Hills, CA
Job Description Job Description Grill Cook Job Description Position Overview: The Grill Cook is responsible for preparing grilled items, including meats, vegetables, and seafood, according t…
View Details
Posted 2025-07-29
Hospitality Workers - WildHawk Golf Club
Sodexo
Sacramento, CA
IF YOU ARE LOOKING FOR A FUN JOB IN HOSPITALITY, THIS IS THE PLACE FOR YOU! Sodexo Live! is currently hiring for the WildHawk Golf Club ! We are looking for outgoing team players to fill our spo…
View Details
Posted 2025-08-07