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Principal Contracts Manager

El Segundo, California, United States

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. 

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 www.chaosinc.com.

Role Overview:

CHAOS Industries is scaling a portfolio of advanced defense and national-security programs, and we need a senior contracts leader to own the contractual execution behind them. We are seeking a Principal Contracts Manager to serve as the primary contractual authority and interface between CHAOS, our government customers, prime contractors, and international partners.

You will own contracts from proposal through closeout, lead negotiations, and advise leadership on risk—while also leading the contractual execution of our international business, including Foreign Military Sales (FMS) and Direct Commercial Sales (DCS).

You will design and stand up the structure, processes, and tools of CHAOS’s government contracts group to grow the function, and your own scope, as the company scales.

Responsibilities:

  • Serve as the primary contracts lead for assigned government and commercial programs, interfacing directly with Contracting Officers, prime contractors, and program offices.
  • Interpret and administer contracts, task orders, and modifications across a range of instruments, including FFP, cost-reimbursable, T&M, IDIQ, BOAs, and Other Transaction Agreements (OTAs).
  • Lead the contractual execution of Foreign Military Sales (FMS) and Direct Commercial Sales (DCS) efforts—including support to Pricing & Availability (P&A) responses, Letters of Request and Letters of Offer and Acceptance (LOR/LOA), FMS case administration, and coordination with DSCA, prime contractors, and partner-nation customers.
  • Coordinate export-control requirements (ITAR/EAR) and required authorizations—such as Technical Assistance Agreements (TAAs) and DSP licenses—with Trade Compliance and Legal.
  • Lead proposal reviews, negotiations, and award activities, including pricing strategy, terms, and risk positions.
  • Manage contract modifications, funding actions, scope changes, and period-of-performance extensions, and oversee CDRLs, data rights, and government reporting requirements.
  • Advise program and executive leadership on contractual risk, compliance obligations, and business considerations.
  • Design and stand up the government contracts group—its policies, processes, templates, systems, and internal controls—and mentor junior contracts staff as the team grows.

Minimum Requirements:

  • Bachelor's degree and 10+ years of government contracts experience; or a Master's degree or JD and 8+ years.
  • Strong working knowledge of the FAR and DFARS across the full contract lifecycle (proposal, administration, and closeout).
  • Experience administering DoD or federal government contracts across multiple contract types (FFP, cost-reimbursable, T&M, IDIQ, and OTA).
  • Direct experience with Foreign Military Sales (FMS) and/or Direct Commercial Sales (DCS), including LOA/case administration or international contract execution.
  • Familiarity with CDRLs, funding modifications, data rights, and government reporting requirements.
  • Excellent written, verbal, and negotiation skills.
  • U.S. citizenship is required: this role accesses export-controlled information and requires a U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) Secret security clearance—current, or the ability to obtain and maintain one.

Preferred Requirements:

  • Active U.S. Department of Defense Secret or Top Secret security clearance.
  • Experience standing up or scaling a government contracts function in a growing company.
  • Experience in defense technology, aerospace, autonomy, robotics, or advanced hardware development.
  • Experience supporting startup or high-growth organizations.
  • Familiarity with Truthful Cost or Pricing Data Act, Cost Accounting Standards (CAS), and FAR cost-allowability principles.
  • Familiarity with U.S. security cooperation / DSCA processes, Offset / Industrial Participation, and partner-nation requirements.
  • Unlimited Warrant held, or NCMA certification (CPCM or CFCM).

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: 350 employees and counting across 5 global offices
Salary Range: $150,000 - $200,000

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. 

 

Recruiting Agencies: CHAOS Industries does not accept unsolicited resumes or outreach. Unsolicited submissions will not be reviewed or compensated.

 

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