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Chief Engineer, Electronic Warfare Payload

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, and London. For more information, please visit www.chaosinc.com.

Role Overview:

CHAOS is seeking a Chief Engineer to own the technical direction of our electronic warfare (EW) payload, from concept and architecture through qualification, platform integration, field test, and production transition. You will lead a multidisciplinary team and be the senior technical authority across RF hardware, digital signal processing, firmware and software, and systems integration. This is a build-and-field environment where you will be accountable for getting real hardware operating in realistic conditions. 

Responsibilities 

  • Serve as the senior technical authority for EW payload architecture, requirements, and design decisions 
  • Lead system-level trade studies, technical risk management, and design reviews (SRR, PDR, CDR, TRR) 
  • Direct integration of antenna, RF front-end, digital processing, power, thermal, and mechanical subsystems into host platforms 
  • Own system verification and validation, including test planning, anechoic chamber and range testing, and field test readiness 
  • Provide technical leadership across RF, hardware, firmware, software, and systems teams, and mentor senior engineers 
  • Partner with program management, manufacturing, and customers to translate mission needs into executable technical plans 
  • Drive configuration control and the transition from prototype to production and fielding, including software and waveform updates 

Minimum Requirements: 

  • Bachelor's degree in Aerospace, Mechanical, Systems, or Electrical Engineering, or a related field 
  • 15+ years of experience developing EW, radar, or RF sensing and signal processing systems, including technical leadership of a program or major subsystem 
  • Detailed understanding of EMSO, adversary system operation, EM countermeasure and CCM techniques and their implementation 
  • Hands on experience with EW technique verification, validation, field and operational testing 
  • Demonstrated experience taking a high TRL RF system through full lifecycle development, including field or flight test 
  • Strong command of RF systems engineering, digital signal processing, and DoD standards for safety, environments, and test 
  • Current or recent DoD SECRET clearance 

Preferred Requirements:

  • Master's degree or higher 
  • Current or recent DoD TOP SECRET security clearance; eligibility for SAP and/or SCI indoc. 
  • Prior role as Chief Engineer, Lead Systems Engineer, or Technical Director on a fielded EW or radar program 
  • Experience with SDR, FPGA-based signal processing, and RF/digital co-design 
  • Experience with airborne small form-factor EW subsystem development for tactical aircraft and/or missile application 
  • Experience with a prime integrator or in a fast-moving defense startup 

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 while you're working onsite, fully-stocked kitchen, 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: 500+ employees and counting across 5 global offices
Salary Range: $220,000 - $300,000

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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Please note this position does not necessarily require eligibility to obtain and maintain a U.S. security clearance. 

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EXPORT CONTROLS - This position may require access to information and technology that is subject to U.S. export controls. Your responses to the questions below will be used solely to determine your eligibility under U.S. law to receive information and materials subject to U.S. export controls.

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