Staff Mechanical Engineer
About the role
CHAOS Industries is redefining modern defense with a multi‑product portfolio powered by Coherent Distributed Networks (CDN™), giving warfighters, commercial air operators, and border protection teams the ability to act faster, adapt rapidly, and stay ahead of evolving threats. Founded in 2022 and backed by $1 billion from 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. CHAOS is seeking a hands‑on Staff Mechanical Design Engineer to lead the design and integration of air‑launched and ground‑launched aerospace vehicles and associated hardware, from early concept development through flight test and production support. This is a build‑and‑fly environment where you will own mechanical design for airframes, control surfaces, and structures while working closely across engineering and manufacturing functions to get real hardware flying. The position is full‑time and based in El Segundo, CA or Tucson, AZ (El Segundo requires regular on‑site work; Tucson may be primarily remote but requires residence within reasonable commuting distance and ability to report on‑site as needed). This role may be considered for a lower or higher job level; final level and grade will be determined based on relevant experience, skills, and qualifications.
Responsibilities
- Perform hands‑on mechanical design and integration of flight‑vehicle structures and mechanical hardware, including control surfaces, payload and avionics hardware, mechanisms, enclosures, and related support equipment
- Own the mechanical design and integration of defined subsystems, product areas, or major assemblies
- Perform trade studies and recommend path forward
- Develop and maintain 3D CAD models, assemblies, detailed drawings, assembly and installation documentation, and interface control documents (ICDs)
- Develop mechanical designs