Senior Principal Systems Engineer, Algorithm Development

Chaosinc; Hawthorne (CA); On-site; USD 110,000 - 240,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading technology company in Hawthorne seeks a Senior Principal Systems Engineer for Algorithm Development. The role involves designing advanced radar algorithms, mentoring junior engineers, and optimizing systems for real-time performance. Join a mission-focused team dedicated to solving complex challenges in defense and critical industries.

Benefits

Health Benefits

401k with Company Match

Free Daily Lunch

Unlimited PTO

No Meeting Fridays

Qualifications

• 10+ years of experience with radar systems.
• Deep understanding of radar principles and signal processing.

Responsibilities

• Design and develop radar signal processing algorithms.
• Lead new radar capabilities development with minimal guidance.
• Analyze radar data for system performance evaluation.

Skills

Problem-Solving

Analytical Skills

Teamwork

Education

Bachelor’s degree in STEM

Graduate degree in STEM

Tools

C++

Python

MATLAB

Job description

Senior Principal Systems Engineer, Algorithm Development

Hawthorne, California, United States

CHAOS Inc. is a global technology company delivering next-generation capabilities to the defense and critical industrial sectors. Founded in 2022 by a seasoned leadership team, CHAOS has quickly become the place where world-class multi-disciplinary engineers come to build mission-critical technologies. CHAOS has a mission-focused culture, dedicated to solving the toughest technical challenges. Its unique agile engineering approach enables rapid prototyping, while deep partnerships with defense and industry ensure real-world solutions.

Role Overview:

• Support the Systems Engineering design and development of cutting-edge radar capabilities

Responsibilities:

• Design and develop advanced radar signal processing algorithms for target detection, tracking, and classification
• Lead the development of new radar capabilities with minimal guidance
• Optimize algorithms for real-time performance and resource constraints
• Implement algorithms in software (e.g., C++, Python, MATLAB) and/or hardware (e.g., FPGAs, DSPs)
• Analyze radar data to evaluate system performance and identify areas for improvement
• Develop and maintain system simulations and models to support algorithm development and performance evaluation.
• Design and development of radar modes
• Contribute to the development of system requirements and specifications
• Modeling and Simulation of radar systems and sub-systems as well as the signal processing chain
• Plan and lead field tests and data collection activities
• Document and present technical findings and progress to leadership
• Mentor and guide junior engineers
• Work full-time onsite at our office in Hawthorne, CA
• Bachelor’s degree in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering or Mathematics) or another related field or equivalent work experience
• +10 years of experience of radar systems
• Deep understanding of radar systems and modes
• Strong understanding of radar principles, signal processing techniques, and algorithms
• Strong familiarity with programming languages like Python or MATLAB
• Systems Engineering experience with RF (Radio Frequency) Systems
• Expertise in digital signal processing (e.g. modulation, filtering, and detection)
• Expertise in algorithm development
• Excellent problem-solving and analytical skills
• Ability to work independently and as part of a multidisciplinary team

Preferred qualifications:

• Graduate degree in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering or Mathematics) or another related field or equivalent work experience
• Expertise with radar waveform design, matched filtering, doppler processing, and clutter rejection techniques
• Strong foundation in both sides of the Systems Engineering V
• Experience with C++

Why CHAOS?

• Health Benefits: Your medical, dental and vision benefits will be 100% paid for by the company
• Additional benefits: life, FSA, HSA, 401k (+ Company match), and more
• Our Perks: free daily lunch, ‘No meeting Fridays’, unlimited PTO (for exempt employees), casual dress code
• Compensation Components: competitive base salaries, generous pre-IPO stock option grants, relocation assistance + (coming soon!) annual bonuses
• Company Size: 100 employees and counting!
• More About Us: We're building the next generation of aerospace, defense and critical industry technologies with a seasoned team of mission-focused individuals. We were founded in June 2022 and our goal is to become the platform where world-class engineers come to solve critical, real-world problems. We use agile engineering approaches which enable rapid prototyping, deep partnerships with the defense industry ensuring real-world application, and our newly-invented Coherence platform (through which we’ve made a fundamental breakthrough) improves sensor performance and decision-making in real-time. As of April 2025 we have raised $490M (including a $275M Series C at a $2B valuation) from some of the most prominent VC funds and investors including Accel, NEA, 8VC, and Valar. With a managing team that includes Epirus’ founding members (responsible for building a $1.5B company from scratch) + key drivers from Palantir (instrumental in Palantir’s growth to $1B in revenue), we are well-positioned to become one of the fastest growing companies to date!

Salary range: $110,000 - $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 (but not limited to) work experience, education and/or training, critical skills, and/or business considerations.

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