Principal Mechanical Engineer Hardware

Frontdoor Defense; El Segundo (CA); On-site; USD 175,000 - 215,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health, dental, and vision benefits 1

401k with 50% company match up to 6%

FSA and HSA

Life insurance

Free daily lunch

No meeting Fridays

Unlimited PTO

Relocation assistance

Job summary

CHAOS Industries in El Segundo, CA seeks a Principal Mechanical Engineer to lead the integration of ruggedized electronics and hardware for aerospace/defense platforms. You will own mechanical interfaces, enclosures, and mechanisms across ground- and sea-mobile platforms throughout the product lifecycle.

The role requires hands-on CAD, prototyping, and deep experience with ruggedized hardware, with the ability to guide cross-disciplinary teams and maintain ICDs.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering or related discipline.
• 8+ years in platform-level mechanical design and system integration for aerospace/defense.
• Experience integrating subsystems into vehicles or platforms.
• Proficiency with CAD tools for large assemblies.
• Knowledge of MIL-STD-810 and environmental qualification.

Responsibilities

• Provide technical leadership and hands-on prototyping for system integration.
• Architect and design mechanical structures subject to shock and vibration.
• Maintain 3D CAD models and ICDs for multi-disciplinary integration.
• Perform structural and thermal analyses and requirements allocations.
• Lead system-level integration, qualification, and acceptance activities.
• Interface with customers, suppliers, and manufacturing partners; make/buy assessments.
• Support production transition and fielded system sustainment.

Skills

Mechanical design

System integration

Prototyping

Team leadership

Communication skills

Security clearance eligibility

Education

Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering or related discipline

Master's degree in Mechanical Engineering or related field

Tools

SolidWorks

FEA software (NASTRAN/ABAQUS/ANSYS)

Job description

Principal Mechanical Engineer

Lead end-to-end mechanical integration of ruggedized systems for aerospace/defense platforms

Location: El Segundo, California

Compensation: $175,000 - 215,000 USD / year

About The Role

Principal Mechanical Engineer

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.

CHAOS is seeking a Principal Mechanical Engineer to 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 and lead the design for mechanical integration of 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 technical leadership and hands-on prototyping 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
• Serve as a 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

Minimum Requirements:

• Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering or a 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 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
• Familiarity with military-style connectors (e.g., mil-circular 38999, ARINC, micro-D)

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

$175k-215k

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.