Sr. Integration & Test Engineer - Effector Systems

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. Founded in 2022, CHAOS Industries has raised $1 billion in funding from leading investors, including 8VC, Accel, and Valor Equity Partners, and is headquartered in Los Angeles with offices in Washington, D.C., San Francisco, San Diego, Seattle, and London.

About the role

We are seeking a Senior Integration & Test Engineer to accelerate the development, integration, verification, and validation of effector systems and subsystems for air defense applications. This highly hands-on role is critical to ensuring hardware and software components perform according to system requirements. You will support integration, verification, and validation at the bench, rack, and full system levels, working directly with hardware, software, and firmware to troubleshoot issues across the entire stack—from embedded software to physical hardware. Ideal candidates enjoy getting their hands dirty and learning by doing, with strong prototype hardware integration skills and experience setting up embedded subsystems such as GPS receivers, telemetry radios, and flight controllers.

Responsibilities

• Assemble, configure, and integrate effector hardware, controller electronics, firmware, and software into a functioning system.
• Plan, develop, and execute integration and test procedures at the component, subsystem, and system levels.
• Develop and maintain automated and manual test scripts, test fixtures, and test environments.
• Troubleshoot integration and test issues across hardware, firmware, and embedded software.
• Support field integration, on-site testing, and customer demonstrations as needed.
• Create and maintain integration and test documentation.
• Contribute to the development and refinement of I&T processes, procedures, and best practices.
• Support adjacent systems engineering or software integration tasks as program needs evolve.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Aerospace Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Computer Science, or a related field.
• 10+ years of experience in integration and test engineering, embedded systems, or a closely related discipline.
• Strong hands-on prototype hardware skills including wiring, soldering, and mechanical assembly (e.g., 3D printing, rack integration).
• Experience setting up and configuring embedded subsystems such as GPS receivers, telemetry radios, and flight controllers.
• Proficiency in Python and/or C/C++ for test automation, calibration scripts, and data reduction/analysis scripting.
• Experience developing and executing test procedures at the component, subsystem, and system levels.
• Familiarity with communication protocols common in drone and embedded systems (MAVLink, CAN, UART, SPI, I2C).
• Solid understanding of drone system architecture, including propulsion, servos, datalinks, navigation, and control loops.
• Strong analytical and troubleshooting skills across hardware and software domains.
• Experience with version control systems (e.g., Git) and CI/CD pipelines for automated testing.

Preferred Qualifications

• Direct experience with drones, UAS platforms, or similar unmanned effector systems.
• Familiarity with flight controller software such as PX4, ArduPilot, or equivalent and associated ground control software (QGroundControl, Mission Planner).
• Experience with HIL or SIL simulation environments for embedded or autonomous systems.
• Familiarity with MATLAB/Simulink for control system modeling or flight dynamics.
• Knowledge of RF systems, GPS signal simulation, or sensor fusion techniques.
• Exposure to field test operations and transitioning systems from bench testing to flight testing.
• Experience with environmental and EMC qualification testing in accordance with MIL-STD-810, MIL-STD-461 and -464.
• FAA Part 107 certification or equivalent UAV operational credentials.

Benefits

• Medical, dental, and vision benefits 100% paid for by the company.
• 401k with 50% company match up to 6% of pay.
• FSA and HSA options.
• Life insurance.
• Free daily lunch.
• ‘No meeting Fridays’ and unlimited PTO.
• Casual dress code.
• Relocation assistance.

Pay

Competitive base salaries ranging from $180,000 to $220,000, with additional earnings such as bonus, equity, and benefits. The salary range reflects targeted base compensation only and may vary based on work experience, education, training, critical skills, and business considerations.