---
title: 'Senior Principal Mechanical Engineer, Platform Integration at CHAOS Industries'
canonical: 'https://feeny.ai/job/senior-principal-mechanical-engineer-platform-integration-chaos-industries-el-emkbshzn6k3v'
type: 'job'
last_seen: '2026-09-11'
---

# Senior Principal Mechanical Engineer, Platform Integration at CHAOS Industries

- **Company:** CHAOS Industries
- **Location:** El Segundo California, United States
- **Posted:** 2026-06-16
- **Last confirmed live:** 2026-09-11
- **Apply:** https://job-boards.greenhouse.io/chaosindustries/jobs/5166299007

## Job description

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.

Role Overview:

CHAOS is seeking a Senior Principal Mechanical Engineer – Platform Integration to serve as the mechanical authority and provide high-value, hands-on mechanical expertise for the integration of ruggedized electronics, effectors, and mission-critical hardware into ground- and sea-mobile platforms for aerospace and defense applications. In this role, you will own the end-to-end design for military electronics and effector systems with critical platform structures and mechanisms. Design challenges may range from compact electronics enclosures to larger structural or mechanism assemblies, depending on platform and mission requirements.

- The position spans the full product lifecycle, from early concept development and architecture through detailed design, analysis, prototyping, qualification testing, production, and sustainment of fielded systems.
- The ideal candidate has strong hands-on mechanical CAD and system integration experience, demonstrated prototyping skills, a deep understanding of ruggedized hardware design, and a proven ability to work independently and guide cross-disciplinary engineering efforts.
- This is a full-time, on-site position in El Segundo, CA.

Responsibilities:

- Provide hands-on technical authority and mechanical integration of mission systems: electronics, enclosures, effectors, launchers, mechanisms, and support equipment into ground- and sea-mobile platforms
- Architect and design mechanical structures, frames, mounts, enclosures, and mechanisms subject to shock, vibration, thermal, and environmental constraints
- Develop and maintain 3D CAD models, assemblies, and interface control documentation (ICDs) to support multi-disciplinary system integration
- Perform first-order structural and thermal analyses and requirements allocations to ensure compliance with customer requirements and applicable military standards
- Lead system-level integration, qualification, and acceptance activities, including oversight of installation, alignment, and fit-check efforts
- Own cross-disciplinary technical resolution involving mechanical, electrical, RF, power, and systems engineering teams
- Serve as a primary technical hardware interface with customers, platform providers, suppliers, and manufacturing partners.
- Perform make/buy assessments with manufacturing partners as required
- Support production transition, configuration control, and fielded system sustainment, including investigation and resolution of integration issues

Minimum Requirements:

- Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering or a related discipline
- 11+ years of progressively responsible experience in platform-level mechanical design and system integration for aerospace and defense applications
- Proven experience integrating mechanical subsystems and mission systems into vehicles, mobile platforms, or fixed installations
- Strong proficiency with CAD tools (e.g., SolidWorks or equivalent) for large assemblies and top-down design
- Expertise in mechanical interfaces, tolerancing, alignment, installation practices, and interface control documents (ICDs)
- Familiarity with structural analysis methods (hand calculations, FEA)
- Demonstrated experience with ruggedized military hardware and environmental qualification considerations
- Experience interpreting and applying military standards, such as MIL-STD-810 and related platform qualification requirements
- Demonstrated ability to lead technical decisions and resolve complex, cross-disciplinary integration challenges
- Strong communication skills and ability to operate effectively in multi-project development environments
- Ability to obtain and maintain a U.S. security clearance

Preferred Requirements:

- Master’s degree in Mechanical Engineering or a related field
- Prior experience serving as a mechanical technical authority on a program
- Experience with mechanisms and actuation systems, including linkages, bearings, motors, hydraulics, and pneumatics, gimbals, or rotary joints
- Experience with system-level requirements allocation
- Familiarity with vehicle integration constraints, including shock, vibration, transport, and operational loads
- Experience with at least one commercial FEA or multiphysics simulation package (NASTRAN, ABAQUS, ANSYS, CFD codes, COMSOL, etc.)
- Knowledge of manufacturing and assembly processes for mobile or deployable mechanical structures and mechanisms
- Experience with prototyping, additive manufacturing, CNC machining, and other fabrication techniques, with an understanding of producibility constraints
- Familiarity with military-style connectors (e.g., mil-circular 38999, ARINC, micro-D)
- Experience with field installation, retrofit, and sustainment of complex sensor systems and mobile platforms

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

$205k-245k

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.

#LI-onsite

## About CHAOS Industries

## Company Overview
- **One-liner**: CHAOS Industries develops multi-application defense technologies, including radar, detection, and electronic warfare systems powered by Coherent Distributed Networks (CDN™), to deliver domain dominance for warfighters and critical infrastructure.
- **Entity Type**: Private (Series D, Unicorn)
- **Headquarters**: Los Angeles, California, United States
- **Founded**: 2022
- **Founders**: John T. (CEO), Bo Marr (Co-founder & CTO), Brett Cummings (Co-founder & President)

## Core Business
- Primary industry: Defense and Space Manufacturing
- Target customers: U.S. Department of Defense (Army, Air Force, Navy), allied governments, border protection agencies, commercial air operators
- Mission: Redefining modern defense by giving warfighters and operators the ultimate advantage through faster sensing, detection, and effects.

## Products & Services
- **Hydra Platform**: A multi-application software-defined platform providing land-based, sea-based, and air-based detection, communications, and electronic effects. It is the core operating system for CHAOS’s product portfolio.
- **VANQUISH**: A distributed early-warning radar system designed for air defense and counter-UAS (CUAS) missions. It provides long-range detection (up to 250 km) at a low cost per square kilometer ($100/km²).
- **Coherent Distributed Networks (CDN™)**: The proprietary technology that enables time-synchronized networking of sensors and effectors, improving sensing, detection, and engagement capabilities across a wide area.

## Market Standing
- **Valuation**: $4.5 billion (as of November 2025, per Series D announcement)
- **Total Funding**: $1.002 billion across four rounds
  - Series A (March 2023): $70M led by 8VC
  - Series B (November 2024): $145M led by Accel
  - Series C (May 2025): $275M led by New Enterprise Associates and Accel
  - Series D (November 2025): $510M led by Valor Equity Partners, with continued backing from 8VC and Accel
- **Annual Revenue**: $75M (estimated)
- **Notable Investors**: Valor Equity Partners, Accel, 8VC, New Enterprise Associates, AFWERX, Overmatch Ventures
- **Key Partners**: U.S. Army (added to G‑TEAD Marketplace in December 2025)
- **Growth Signals**:
  - Headcount grew 100% YoY (to 143 employees)
  - Active job postings increased 534.8% YoY
  - Acquired Ziva Corporation (November 2025) and CHAOS INDUSTRIES UK LIMITED
  - Added to the U.S. Army’s G‑TEAD Marketplace for accelerated acquisition
  - Expanded presence to Washington DC, San Francisco, San Diego, London, and Amman

## Competitive Advantages
- **Proprietary CDN™ Technology**: A unique time-synchronized networking approach that enables a distributed, software-defined sensor grid, replacing monolithic Cold War-era radar systems.
- **Speed to Market**: The company’s products are being added to government acquisition marketplaces (e.g., G‑TEAD) within months of launch, demonstrating rapid fielding capability.
- **Talent Density**: Strong hiring from top defense tech companies (Anduril, Palantir, Epirus, RTX, Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman) and a high proportion of technical staff (36% of workforce).
- **Government Traction**: Direct integration with the U.S. Army and Air Force acquisition pathways, plus a dedicated federal lobbying team.

## Strategic Focus
- **Scaling Production**: Moving from R&D to mass production of radar and effector systems, with a focus on cost reduction ($100/km² protection).
- **International Expansion**: Building business development teams in Europe (London) and the Middle East (Amman) to capture allied defense markets.
- **Product Portfolio Diversification**: Expanding beyond radar into electronic warfare, communications, and effector systems through the Hydra platform and acquisitions.
- **Talent Acquisition**: Aggressively hiring across engineering, business development, and operations to support rapid growth.

## Why Work Here
- **Mission-Driven Work**: Employees work on “the world’s most urgent problems”—restoring American air superiority and protecting critical infrastructure.
- **Rapid Growth Trajectory**: The company has grown from a startup to a $4.5B unicorn in three years, offering significant career advancement opportunities.
- **Engineering Culture**: 36% of the workforce is in technical roles, with a focus on cutting-edge radar, signal processing, and machine learning. Key leadership includes a VP of Machine Learning.
- **Location Flexibility**: Offices in Los Angeles (HQ), Washington DC, San Francisco, San Diego, London, and Amman. Roles span multiple locations.
- **Compensation**: Employee reviews rate compensation at 4.5/5.0.
- **Veteran-Friendly**: The company actively recruits veterans.
- **Recent Departures Note**: Some senior leaders (VP ML Infra, Operations Partner) have left in early 2026, suggesting a high-intensity environment.

## Sources
1. [chaosinc.com](https://www.chaosinc.com/)
2. [Greenhouse Careers](https://job-boards.greenhouse.io/chaosindustries)
3. [CB Insights](https://www.cbinsights.com/company/chaos-industries)
4. [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/company/chaosindustries)
5. [chaosinc.com/team](https://www.chaosinc.com/team)

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