Hardware Systems Engineer at Chaosindustries — El Segundo, CA

Role Overview:

Chaos is seeking a Senior Staff Hardware Systems Engineer to lead the technical development of next-generation defense systems from concept through field deployment. You will translate mission needs and product strategy into system architectures and integrated hardware solutions. Working across disciplines, you'll solve complex technical problems, drive engineering tradeoffs, and ensure products perform reliably in operational environments.

The ideal candidate combines deep technical credibility with team leadership, systems thinking, and experience delivering hardware in a fast-paced environment. This individual leads from the front, personally executing high-impact technical tasks in support of program success.

This is a full-time position on-site in El Segundo, CA.

Responsibilities

• Lead a small cross-functional hardware development team, establishing technical priorities and driving execution from concept through production
• Lead hardware systems engineering from early product definition through architecture, requirements, qualification, production, and lifecycle support
• Define system architectures and allocate functionality across mechanical, electrical, RF, software, and test subsystems
• Define and manage internal and external interfaces
• Lead system-level trade studies balancing performance, SWaP-C, manufacturability, reliability, schedule, and cost
• Make timely technical decisions under ambiguity while balancing mission performance, risk, schedule, manufacturability, and cost
• Develop new product concepts and support proposals and technology demonstrations
• Identify technical risks early and drive practical mitigation strategies
• Lead technical reviews including SRR, PDR, CDR, TRR
• Personally contribute to critical engineering work as needed to ensure team and program success
• Collaborate with manufacturing, suppliers, and test teams to mature designs into production

What Success Looks Like:

• Mission needs and product concepts become executable engineering solutions
• Cross-functional teams remain aligned around a coherent system architecture