Forward Deployed Engineer - Software

CHAOS Industries; El Segundo (CA); Hybrid; USD 140,000 - 240,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health Benefits

401(k) with company match

Free daily lunch

Unlimited PTO

Casual dress code

Job summary

CHAOS Industries is looking for an experienced engineer to join the Field Engineering Team in California. The role involves developing, testing, and troubleshooting advanced RF systems for national security applications. Candidates should have a strong technical foundation in relevant fields and be prepared to travel to customer sites.

This position offers an exciting opportunity to contribute to innovative designs while enjoying comprehensive benefits, including 100% company-paid health benefits, generous 401(k) match, and a casual work environment.

Qualifications

• At least one year of relevant work experience in a defense context.
• Ability to work in a command-line environment.
• Demonstrated ability to learn quickly and adapt.

Responsibilities

• Test, deploy, and troubleshoot CHAOS products in the field.
• Collaborate with engineering teams to prioritize product feedback.
• Integrate data from CHAOS edge sensors into customer systems.

Skills

Machine learning

Problem-solving

Data structures

Software engineering

Cloud infrastructure

Education

Bachelor's degree in relevant field

Tools

Git

Linux

Command-line tools

Job description

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

The Field Engineering Team is seeking an experienced engineer to join our team in the development and customer delivery of cutting‑edge RF systems. With a deep understanding of our engineering, technology, and customers' missions, this individual will help develop and implement our products with customers. This position offers an exciting opportunity to contribute to the design, development, and deployment of innovative RF capabilities, with a focus on enhancing systems, sensors, and platforms for national security applications including UAS surveillance systems and integrated air and missile defense. Ability to solve complex technical problems and contribute to rapid prototyping efforts is expected.

Responsibilities

• Test, deploy, and troubleshoot CHAOS products in the field.
• Understand customer workflows and translate them into clear product and technical requirements.
• Collaborate with core engineering teams to prioritize feedback, shape product direction, and drive delivery.
• As an early engineer on a growing team, design and build new software products that bridge the gap between CHAOS capabilities and customer mission needs.
• Integrate data from CHAOS edge sensors into customer systems.
• Apply and develop machine learning and AI solutions to applied problems, using analysis of sensor data to iterate and improve performance.
• Travel (typically up to 25% of time, with flexibility for higher travel periods when needed) to customer sites and our offices in Washington DC.
• Strong technical foundation, ideally with a background in Computer Science, Software Engineering, Data Science, Mathematics, Physics, Aerospace Engineering, or a related field.
• Existing qualification for a United States security clearance.

Preferred Requirements

• At least one year of relevant work experience, especially in a defence context.
• Familiarity with core technical concepts – such as data structures, storage systems, cloud infrastructure, and modern front‑end frameworks.
• Confidence working in a command‑line environment, with familiarity using tools like Git, SSH, and Linux‑based systems.
• Experience applying machine learning or AI techniques to real‑world or customer‑facing problems.
• Thoughtful about how technical choices shape user experience and comfortable managing internal and external stakeholders with a mix of technical insight and common sense.
• Demonstrated ability to learn new concepts quickly and adapt in a fast‑paced, dynamic environment.
• Comfortable working both autonomously and within teams that include both technical and non‑technical members.

Benefits

• Health Benefits: Medical, dental, and vision benefits 100% paid for by the company.
• Additional benefits: 401(k) (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: 250 employees and counting across five global offices.

Salary Range: $140,000 - $240,000. 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 work experience, education and/or training, critical skills, and/or business considerations.

We do not discriminate on the basis of any protected group status under any applicable law.