Senior Principal Mechanical Engineer

Role Overview:

CHAOS is seeking a Senior Principal Mechanical Engineer 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 Hawthorne, 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

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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