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Salary: USD 175,000 - 215,000 / annual
CHAOS Industries is seeking a Principal Mechanical Engineer to lead hands-on mechanical design and integration of ruggedized electronics, effectors, and mission-critical hardware into ground- and sea-mobile platforms for aerospace and defense applications. You will own the full product lifecycle from early concept development and architecture through detailed design, analysis, prototyping, qualification testing, production, and sustainment of fielded systems.
Key responsibilities include:
- Provide technical leadership and hands-on prototyping for mechanical integration of mission systems (electronics, enclosures, effectors, launchers, mechanisms) into 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 structural and thermal analyses and requirements allocations to ensure compliance with customer requirements and military standards
- Lead system-level integration, qualification, and acceptance activities, including oversight of installation, alignment, and fit-check efforts
- Serve as primary technical hardware interface with customers, platform providers, suppliers, and manufacturing partners; perform make/buy assessments
- Support production transition, configuration control, and fielded system sustainment, including investigation and resolution of integration issues
The ideal candidate has strong hands-on mechanical CAD and system integration experience, demonstrated prototyping skills, deep understanding of ruggedized hardware design, and proven ability to work independently and guide cross-disciplinary engineering efforts. This is a full-time, on-site position in El Segundo, CA.
REQUIREMENTS:
Minimum:
- Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering or related discipline
- 8+ 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
- Solid understanding of mechanical interfaces, tolerancing, alignment, installation practices, and interface control documents (ICDs)
- Familiarity with structural analysis methods (hand calculations, FEA)
- Familiarity 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:
- Master's degree in Mechanical Engineering or related field
- Prior experience serving as a mechanical technical authority on a program
- Experience with mechanisms and actuation systems (linkages, bearings, motors, hydraulics, pneumatics, gimbals, rotary joints)
- Experience with system-level requirements allocation
- Familiarity with vehicle integration constraints (shock, vibration, transport, operational loads)
- Experience with commercial FEA or multiphysics simulation packages (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
- Familiarity with military-style connectors (mil-circular 38999, ARINC, micro-D)
