PS
Pellet Storm Anti-UAV rifle ammunition
CAREERS
Join the team

Open Positions

We are a small team solving a real problem. If you want direct access to founders, fast decision cycles, and work that matters in the field, read on.

2 positions open

Government Liaison

$120,000 – $160,000 base + bonus + equity Northern Virginia / Washington, DC Hybrid National Capital Region
Our Mission

Kamikaze drones are multiplying in number and lethality. Pellet Storm's 5.56 and 7.62 rounds — soon joined by 6.8 mm — turn standard battle rifles into high-probability kinetic C-UAS weapons. The ammunition is fully interchangeable with existing rounds and needs no magazine or weapon modifications. Five meters from the muzzle, the sabot releases tungsten pellets that can disable Group 1 UAS out to 200 m.

Your mission: continue our successful track record of grants and contracts as we scale up to full-rate production and fielding.

Major Responsibilities
  • Engage decision-makers — brief PEO Soldier, Joint C-UAS Office, SOCOM, DIU, service labs, and congressional staff.
  • Shape requirements — draft ICD/CDD/CONOPS language, cost data, and risk narratives for rifle-borne C-UAS.
  • Track money & solicitations — monitor FYDP lines, SBIR/OTA calls, plus NDAA/appropriations marks.
  • Run demonstrations — secure range space, safety waivers, and VIP attendance (e.g., AP Hill, Eglin, Yuma, NTTR).
  • Advise leadership — deliver weekly situation reports on acquisition timelines, policy shifts, and competitor moves.
Minimum Qualifications
  • 5+ years' experience in defense acquisition, legislative affairs, or C-UAS operations.
  • Demonstrated network across Army and USMC procurement and congressional committees.
  • Fluency in PPBE, JCIDS, and OTA pathways; excellent brief-writing and presentation skills.
  • Ability to travel overnight up to 20% and eligibility for a U.S. security clearance (Secret level). Per federal policy, eligibility generally requires U.S. citizenship; limited exceptions may apply.
  • Export-control access: applicants must be U.S. persons (22 C.F.R. §120.62) or eligible to obtain any required U.S. government authorization.
Preferred
  • Prior unmanned-systems or small-arms experience.
  • Military experience (e.g., prior FA 59, 51C, 1302, SOCOM staff, or similar) strongly preferred.
  • Deep knowledge of DoD acquisition culture and an existing defense network.
Work Style & Total Rewards
  • Hybrid — based in the DC area, with time face-to-face with key decision-makers and range-day demonstrations.
  • Flat, <10-person core team: direct access to founders and quick decision cycles.
  • Employer-subsidized family medical/dental/vision, PTO + federal holidays, flexible per-diem, and cell stipend.
Travel
  • About 10–20% overnight U.S. travel — 2 to 3 trips per quarter, typically up to three nights each.
  • Same-day trips inside the National Capital Region do not count as travel.
  • Multi-night trips consist of overnight range-day events, product showcases, or similar.
Physical & Security Requirements
  • Prolonged periods of sitting and standing; occasional lifting up to 25 lbs of demo gear.
  • Ability to obtain flight-line/range credentials and work with ITAR-controlled data.
  • Reasonable accommodations available under the ADA, the D.C. Human Rights Act, and the Virginia Human Rights Act.
Equal Opportunity & Compliance

Pellet Storm is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, creed, national origin, ancestry, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, reproductive health decision-making, marital status, age, disability, medical condition, genetic information, military/veteran status, political affiliation, family responsibilities, or any other status protected by federal, state, or local law (including the D.C. Human Rights Act and the Virginia Human Rights Act).

Pay Transparency (DC): We disclose the good-faith salary range in this posting and the existence of health-care benefits prior to first interview, consistent with D.C. law.

Fair-Chance (DC): We will not inquire about conviction history until after a conditional offer. Any assessment will be individualized and consistent with D.C. Code §32-1341 et seq.

Senior Ballistics & Sabot Engineer

$100,000 – $140,000 base + bonus + equity San Diego, CA On-Site 10–20% travel to test ranges
Our Mission

Kamikaze drones are multiplying in number and lethality. Pellet Storm's 5.56 and 7.62 rounds — soon joined by 6.8 mm — turn standard battle rifles into high-probability kinetic C-UAS weapons. The ammunition is fully interchangeable with existing rounds and needs no magazine or weapon modifications. Five meters from the muzzle, the sabot releases tungsten pellets that can disable Group 1 UAS out to 200 m.

Your mission: refine these prototypes — extend pellet release from 5 m to 20 m, adapt the design to 6.8 mm, prove the rounds through MIL-STD stress tests, and drive them into full-rate production.

Key Responsibilities
  • Own ballistics — develop pressure curves, muzzle velocity models, pellet-dispersion data, and drag tables.
  • Design next-gen sabots — optimize polymer/composite petals for 20 m release while clearing suppressors, brakes, and flash hiders.
  • Model & analyze — run FEA (ANSYS/LS-DYNA), CFD, PRODAS/MATLAB, and QuickLOAD simulations.
  • Prototype & test — build EPVAT fixtures, high-speed-video setups, and range protocols that satisfy STANAG 4172/2310, MIL-STD-810, and AC/225.
  • DFM & cost-down — collaborate with injection-molders and additive vendors; deliver full TDP & GD&T.
  • Interface with DoD evaluators — brief Benét Labs, DEVCOM ARL, and Aberdeen proof staff for safety releases.
  • Mentor junior engineers and contribute to SBIR deliverables plus SRR/PDR/CDR gate reviews.
Minimum Qualifications
  • B.S. in Mechanical, Aerospace, or Materials Engineering.
  • 5+ years designing small-arms ammunition, sabots, penetrators, or comparable munitions.
  • Expert with CAD; knowledgeable about structural and thermal FEA.
  • Hands-on range-test experience: EPVAT, NATO function & casualty, environmental conditioning.
  • Export-control access: applicants must be U.S. persons (22 C.F.R. §120.62) or eligible to obtain any required U.S. government authorization.
Preferred
  • Passionate small-arms enthusiast who tracks ballistic trends, wildcat loads, and reloading data.
  • Proven tinkerer — comfortable machining fixtures, running lathes, and vetting concepts overnight.
  • Rapid-prototyping mindset: fluent with in-house 3-D printing (FDM/SLS), quick-change molds, or soft tooling.
  • Meticulous attention to detail — from pellet concentricity to chrono outliers — with rigorous documentation habits.
  • Mission-driven: committed to fielding technology that protects service members.
Work Style & Total Rewards
  • On-site and hands-on — most days in our San Diego engineering facility, iterating CAD-to-print and collaborating with a small engineering crew.
  • Frequent half-day trips to local ranges (Pendleton, Miramar, Rainbow Valley) for velocity screens, dispersion boards, and chrono data.
  • Flat, <10-person core team: direct access to founders and fast decision cycles.
  • Employer-subsidized family medical/dental/vision, PTO + federal holidays, flexible per-diem, and cell stipend.
Travel
  • About 10% overnight travel — occasional multi-day range events or product-showcase demos (Yuma, Fort Irwin, APG, NDIA venues).
  • All other testing is local day-trip from San Diego.
Physical & Security Requirements
  • Prolonged sitting and standing; occasional lifting up to 25 lbs of demo gear.
  • Ability to obtain flight-line/range credentials and work with ITAR-controlled data.
  • Reasonable accommodations available under the ADA and California FEHA.
Equal Opportunity & Compliance

Pellet Storm is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, creed, national origin, ancestry, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, reproductive health decision-making, marital status, age, disability, medical condition, genetic information, military/veteran status, or any other status protected by federal, state (including California FEHA), or local law.

Applicants with criminal histories will be considered consistent with the California Fair Chance Act. We will not consider conviction history until after a conditional offer, and any assessment will follow an individualized review consistent with Gov. Code §12952.

Compliance: All work complies with applicable federal and California law; we do not manufacture or possess California-prohibited ammunition types in California.