Systems Engineer

El Segundo, CA

About the role

<p> </p> <p>CHAOS Industries is redefining modern defense with a multi-product portfolio that gives the ultimate advantage—domain dominance. The company's products are powered by Coherent Distributed Networks (CDN™), empowering warfighters, commercial air operators, and border protection teams to act faster, adapt rapidly, and stay ahead of evolving threats. </p> <p>CHAOS Industries was founded in 2022 and has raised a total of $1 billion in funding from leading investors, including 8VC, Accel, and Valor Equity Partners. The company is headquartered in Los Angeles, with offices in Washington, D.C., San Francisco, San Diego, Seattle, and London. For more information, please visit <a href="https://www.chaosinc.com">www.chaosinc.com</a>.</p> <p><strong>Role Overview:</strong></p> <p>CHAOS is seeking a highly-skilled and motivated Senior System / Subsystem Engineer to join our R&D team. You will get an opportunity to lead the systems engineering effort on a clean sheet airframe design. As a member of Engineering, you also have the opportunity to expand your skillset across our product families. </p> <p><strong>

Responsibilities:</strong></p> <ul> <li>Design and maintenance of System Architecture and CONOPS</li> <li>Lead and own the development of the system and subsystem

requirements and specifications from inception through V&V.</li> <li>Lead the development and execution of system and subsystem integration & test activities, including hardware selloff for customer demonstrations</li> <li>Support local and field testing of software and flight hardware testing</li> <li>Work full-time on-site in our office in Los Angeles (El Segundo), California</li> </ul> <p><strong>Minimum

Requirements:</strong></p> <ul> <li>Minimum education: Bachelor’s or higher Degree in Systems Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, Computer Science / Computer Engineering, or related degree</li> <li>10+ years of experience in professional systems engineering for a prime systems integrator.</li> <li>Experience in performing developing system / subsystem

requirements, performing trade studies, and leading subsystem / component selection.</li> <li>Practical understanding of UAS subsystems including sensors, navigation, autopilots, control actuation systems / servos, and power subsystems</li> <li>Experience in data reduction and post-test data analysis of aerospace systems</li> <li>Excellent problem-solving and analytical skills</li> <li>Experience with modern software development practices (Git, CI/CD, automated testing)</li> <li>Familiarity with Agile development methodologies</li> <li>Ability to work with minimal supervision and collaborate on small teams</li> <li>U.S. Person status is required as this position will require the ability to access U.S.-only data system</li> </ul> <p><strong>Preferred

Requirements:</strong><strong> </strong></p> <ul> <li>Current or previous DoD security clearance </li> <li>10+ years of experience in professional systems engineering for UAS and/or missile systems.</li> <li>Part 107 remote pilot certification</li> <li>Experience with EO/IR sensor integration</li> <li>Experience with radar sensor integration</li> <li>Experience with datalink integration</li> <li>Familiarity with DoD standards and handbooks for safety, environments and testing.</li> <li>Strong foundation in both sides of the Systems Engineering V / Experience with full lifecycle Systems Engineering development of high-TRL systems</li> <li>Experience with HW/SW I&T and V&V of high-TRL systems</li> </ul> <p><strong>Why CHAOS?</strong></p> <ul> <li><strong>Health

Benefits: </strong>Medical, dental, and vision

benefits 100% paid for by the company</li> <li><strong>Additional

benefits</strong>: 401k (+ 50% company match up to 6% of pay), FSA, HSA, life insurance, and more</li> <li><strong>Our

Perks: </strong>Free daily lunch, ‘No meeting Fridays’, unlimited PTO, casual dress code</li> <li><strong>

Compensation Components:</strong> Competitive base salaries, generous pre-IPO stock option grants, relocation assistance, and (coming soon!) annual bonuses</li> <li><strong>Team Growth: </strong>400+employees and counting across 5 global offices</li> </ul> <div><em><strong>Salary Range: $160,000 - $240,000</strong></em></div> <p><em>The stated

compensation range reflects only the targeted base

compensation range and excludes additional earnings such as

bonus, equity, and

benefits. If your

compensation

requirements fall outside of the range, we still encourage you to apply. The salary range for this role is an estimate based on a range of

compensation factors, inclusive of base salary only. Actual salary offer may vary based on (but not limited to) work experience, education and/or training, critical skills, and/or business considerations. </em></p> <p> </p> <hr> <h3>Recruiting Agencies: CHAOS Industries does not accept unsolicited resumes or outreach. Unsolicited submissions will not be reviewed or compensated.</h3> <hr> <p> </p> <p><em>#LI-onsite</em></p> <p> </p>

About Chaos

Chaos Industries offers a technology portfolio centered on its Coherent Distributed Networks (CDN) architecture that enables time-synchronous sensing, detection, communications, and effects. Its flagship platform, HYDRA, harnesses the CDN framework to deliver software-defined multi-domain capabilities across land, sea, and air environments while integrating with existing infrastructure under constrained conditions. The company serves defense, government, and industrial sectors, providing scalable and mobile solutions designed for complex operational settings.

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Job details

Salary

$160,000 - $240,000

Location

El Segundo, CA

Company

NameChaos
IndustryAerospace
Team Size3

Funding

Total raised

$1B

Last stage

Series D

Investors

Valor Equity Partners
8VC
Accel
New Enterprise Associates
SStepStone Group

Founders

JT

John Tenet

Co-Founder & CEO

LinkedIn
Bo Marr

Bo Marr

Co-Founder & CTO

LinkedIn
BC

Brett Cummings

Co-Founder & CFO

What happens next.

No applications, no recruiter spam. Just the intro.

01

Confirm the fit

A few questions to make sure this role is the right shape for you. Two minutes.

02

I pitch you to the company

I write the intro, send it to the founder, and handle the back-and-forth.

03

A meeting lands on your calendar

If they’re a yes, I book the chat. You show up — that’s the whole job-hunt.