Hardware Systems Engineer

Role Overview

Chaos is seeking a Senior Staff Hardware Systems Engineer to lead the technical development of next-generation defense systems from concept through field deployment. You will translate mission needs and product strategy into system architectures and integrated hardware solutions. Working across disciplines, you'll solve complex technical problems, drive engineering tradeoffs, and ensure products perform reliably in operational environments. The ideal candidate combines deep technical credibility with team leadership, systems thinking, and experience delivering hardware in a fast-paced environment. This individual leads from the front, personally executing high-impact technical tasks in support of program success. This is a full-time position on-site in El Segundo, CA.

Responsibilities

• Lead a small cross-functional hardware development team, establishing technical priorities and driving execution from concept through production
• Lead hardware systems engineering from early product definition through architecture, requirements, qualification, production, and lifecycle support
• Define system architectures and allocate functionality across mechanical, electrical, RF, software, and test subsystems
• Define and manage internal and external interfaces
• Lead system-level trade studies balancing performance, SWaP-C, manufacturability, reliability, schedule, and cost
• Make timely technical decisions under ambiguity while balancing mission performance, risk, schedule, manufacturability, and cost
• Develop new product concepts and support proposals and technology demonstrations
• Identify technical risks early and drive practical mitigation strategies
• Lead technical reviews including SRR, PDR, CDR, TRR
• Personally contribute to critical engineering work as needed to ensure team and program success
• Collaborate with manufacturing, suppliers, and test teams to mature designs into production

What Success Looks Like

• Mission needs and product concepts become executable engineering solutions
• Cross-functional teams remain aligned around a coherent system architecture
• Products perform reliably in demonstrations and operational deployments
• Technical risks are resolved before they become program risks

Minimum Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in engineering or related field with 10–12+ years of relevant engineering experience
• Background in space systems, missile systems, avionics, radar, EW, or defense electronics
• Strong understanding of system architecture, interface definition, and engineering tradeoffs
• Proven technical leadership of small multidisciplinary engineering teams delivering complex hardware products in a fast-paced development environment
• Experience performing system architecture trade studies and allocating system and hardware requirements
• Strong attention to detail and execution
• Ability to obtain and maintain a U.S. security clearance

Preferred Requirements

• Master's degree in an engineering or business discipline
• Experience interpreting and applying military specifications and standards
• Experience writing technical proposals
• Experience designing for manufacturability and production transition
• Experience with prototype integration and customer demonstrations
• Hands-on experience developing, integrating, and troubleshooting complex hardware systems
• Requirements management or MBSE tools (DOORS, Jama, Cameo, MagicDraw, SysML)

Benefits

• Medical, dental, and vision benefits 100% paid for by the company
• 401k with 50% company match up to 6% of pay
• FSA, HSA, life insurance, and more

Pay

$190k–270k base salary range, plus pre-IPO stock option grants, relocation assistance, and annual bonuses (coming soon). The stated compensation range reflects only the targeted base compensation and excludes additional earnings such as bonus, equity, and benefits. Actual offer may vary based on work experience, education, critical skills, and business considerations.

Schedule

Full-time position, on-site in El Segundo, CA.