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Chief Field Systems Engineer

Hawthorne, California, United States

CHAOS Industries is redefining modern defense with omniscient systems purpose-built for today’s realities. Designed and built by top U.S. military veterans and Silicon Valley innovators, CHAOS Industries’ 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. In a world where technological threats move at unprecedented speed, CHAOS Industries delivers advanced sensing and detection solutions that give the ultimate advantage: time.   

CHAOS Industries was founded in 2022 and has raised $1B in total funding from leading investors including 8VC, Accel, and NEA. The company is headquartered in Los Angeles, with offices in Washington, D.C., San Francisco, Seattle, and London. For more information, please visit www.chaosinc.com. 

Role Overview 

This is an exciting opportunity to lead the roll out of our paradigm shifting multi-static sensor products, roll out new technology to the field, build a field system engineering team from the ground up, and see the products through successful field testing to maximize performance. 

The Chief Field Systems Engineer is the technical and operational owner of CHAOS’ expeditionary radar and sensor systems once they leave the factory and meet the real world. This role exists to close the gap between design intent and field reality - ensuring our systems are rugged, usable, performant, and mission-ready in the most demanding environments. 

You’ll sit at the intersection of product engineering, systems engineering, mission operations, and customers. You’ll collaborate closely with design engineers, system architects, product leaders, mission teams, and Forward Deployed Engineers (FDEs) to translate cutting-edge technology into reliable fielded capability. Just as importantly, you’ll build and lead a high-performing Field Systems Engineering organization from the ground up. 

  • Team mandate & collaboration: This team exists to make sure our systems work - not just in theory, but in the dirt, on-site, under time pressure. You’ll partner daily with Systems Engineering, Hardware, Software, Product, Mission Operations, and customers. Expect a hands-on, sleeves-rolled-up environment where clear thinking, strong judgment, and technical credibility matter. 
  • What you’ll own: You will have complete ownership of the transition from “factory complete” to “field ready,” including acceptance criteria, ruggedization, field procedures, and continuous performance improvement based on real-world use. 

Responsibilities 

  • Technical & Field Ownership 
    • Serve as the lead engineer accountable for performance of expeditionary radar and sensor systems in the field 
    • Own and continuously refine system acceptance criteria for transitioning products from factory to field deployment 
    • Identify, prioritize, and drive updates required to improve field usability, reliability, and performance 
    • Lead ruggedization initiatives (mechanical, electrical, software, procedural) required to achieve true field readiness 
    • Partner with hardware, software, and systems engineering teams to update designs for sustained field operation 
  • Field Operations & SOP Development 
    • Establish and maintain standard operating procedures (SOPs) for successful field deployments, including: 
      • Concept of operations (CONOPS), mission planning, and sensor emplacement for maximum effect
      • System bring-up, out-of-the-box checks, and startup testing 
      • Field debugging and fault isolation 
      • Mode parameter updates to maximize performance, reduce clutter, and mitigate false alarms 
      • Field calibration procedures for array and system performance 
      • Work closely with system engineers to refine mode parameters, beam scanning techniques, and radar processing approaches based on field results 
  • Leadership & Team Building 
    • Build, lead, and mentor a team of Field Systems Engineers and Forward Deployed Engineers 
    • Set technical standards, operating rhythms, and escalation paths for field engineering work 
    • Serve as the senior technical escalation point for complex field issues 
    • Develop best practices for knowledge sharing between field teams and core engineering 
  • Customer & Mission Interface 
    • Support critical customer engagements and deployments as needed 
    • Translate customer feedback and mission outcomes into actionable engineering priorities 
    • Ensure lessons learned in the field are systematically captured and fed back into product development 
  • Travel & Physical Demands 
    • Travel up to ~30–40% domestically and internationally to support deployments, testing, and customer engagements 
    • Ability to work in austere environments and support field operations 
    • Must be able to lift and handle equipment (up to ~50 lbs), work outdoors, and support extended on-site deployments 

 Minimum Requirements 

  • Proven ownership of complex hardware–software systems deployed outside of a lab environment 
  • Hands-on experience taking systems from prototype through field testing and operational deployment 
  • Deep understanding of radar, RF sensing, or analogous complex sensor systems 
  • Demonstrated experience mitigating false alarms, clutter, or noise in real-world sensing environments 
  • Experience with array calibration and maintaining system performance over time 
  • Strong systems-level thinking - able to diagnose issues spanning hardware, software, networking, and operations 
  • Experience writing and enforcing technical procedures, acceptance criteria, and field documentation 
  • Ability to lead technical teams through ambiguous, high-pressure situations 

Preferred Requirements 

  • Master’s degree in Electrical Engineering, Systems Engineering, RF Engineering, Physics, or a related technical field or equivalent demonstrated experience
  • Prior experience leading or building a field engineering, systems engineering, or forward deployed engineering team 
  • Background in defense, aerospace, or national security programs 
  • Experience working directly with customers in operational environments 
  • Familiarity with expeditionary or ruggedized system design 
  • Active or eligible U.S. security clearance 

Why CHAOS?

  • Health Benefits: Medical, dental, and vision benefits 100% paid for by the company
  • Additional benefits: 401k (+ 50% company match up to 6% of pay), FSA, HSA, life insurance, and more
  • Our Perks: Free daily lunch, ‘No meeting Fridays’, unlimited PTO, casual dress code
  • Compensation Components: Competitive base salaries, generous pre-IPO stock option grants, relocation assistance, and (coming soon!) annual bonuses
  • Team Growth: 200 employees and counting across 5 global offices
Salary Range: $220,000 - $280,000

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.

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