Test Equipment Development Engineer (HIL and Test Equipment)

Chaos Industries; Los Angeles (CA); Sur place; USD 110 000 - 160 000; Plein temps

Avantages offerts par ce poste

Health benefits

401k match

Free daily lunch

No meeting Fridays

Unlimited PTO

Relocation assistance

Résumé du poste

CHAOS Industries is developing sophisticated test equipment for interceptor systems in a defense context. The role covers end‑to‑end design, build, and deployment of STE, including fixtures, panels, harnesses, load simulators, and signal conditioning, with responsibility for production‑level test stations and data traceability.

You will lead hardware integration, bench builds, and development of automated tests using LabVIEW, Python, or C++, ensuring robust, scalable test ecosystems aligned with

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree as listed.
• 5+ years designing and building custom test equipment for aerospace/defense/high‑reliability electromechanical systems.
• Demonstrated experience translating product requirements into test system architecture.
• Hands‑on experience with electrical schematic design.
• Hands‑on experience with wiring and panel integration.
• Hands‑on experience with instrumentation integration.
• Hands‑on experience with debugging integrated electro‑mechanical systems.
• Familiarity with root cause methodologies and failure analysis.
• US Citizenship required; ability to obtain DoD clearance.

Responsabilités

• Derive test equipment functional requirements from system specs.
• Establish traceability between interceptor requirements and test coverage.
• Define subassembly test strategies and qualification configurations.
• Define production acceptance test philosophy and coverage.
• Define fault‑injection and edge‑case coverage approaches.
• Develop ICDs between product and test systems.
• Balance verification rigor with cycle time, cost, and rate considerations.
• Design complete STE hardware systems including mechanical fixtures, electrical panels, breakout harnesses, load simulators, signal conditioning, and test racks.
• Generate full technical data packages: Schematics, Wiring diagrams, Harness drawings, Mechanical CAD models, Assembly documentation.
• Select and integrate instrumentation (DAQ, power supplies, RF equipment, environmental interfaces).
• Design safe high‑voltage, high‑current, energetics‑compatible test interfaces.
• Lead hands‑on build & integration: rack, panel wiring, harness fabrication, fixture assembly, hardware bring‑up and debug.
• Conduct bench‑level integration of hardware and automation software.
• Debug electrical, mechanical, and software integration issues.
• Validate signal integrity, power distribution, and system stability.
• Presence on bench and floor during integration.
• Develop automated test software (LabVIEW, Python, C++, etc.).
• Architect production test stations optimized for throughput, repeatability, operator simplicity, and error‑proofing.
• Integrate STE into MES for data capture and traceability.
• Lead factory installation and commissioning of LRIP test stations.
• Drive rapid iteration and refinement during pilot/early production.

Connaissances

Test system architecture

Electrical schematic design

Wiring & panel integration

Instrumentation integration

Debug electro‑mechanical systems

Root cause analysis

US Citizenship

Formation

Bachelor's degree in Electrical/Mechanical/Aerospace engineering

Outils

NI hardware platforms

RF testing tools

MES/PLM integration

Description du poste

Test Equipment Development Engineer (HIL and Test Equipment)

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, Seattle, and London. For more information, please visit www.chaosinc.com.

#LI-onsite

Role Summary

We are seeking a Special Test Equipment (STE) Designer responsible for the full lifecycle of interceptor test systems — from requirements analysis and qualification strategy through physical design, hardware build, and Low-Rate Initial Production (LRIP) deployment.

This role owns the realization of the interceptor test ecosystem across:

• Qualification fixtures
• Production acceptance stations

You will ensure that test systems provide rigorous requirements verification while also being physically robust, scalable, maintainable, and aligned with production rate targets. This is not solely a test planning role. It is a design–build–deploy ownership role.

Responsibilities

• Test Requirements & Architecture Ownership: Derive test equipment functional requirements from system and subsystem specifications.
• Test Requirements & Architecture Ownership: Establish traceability between interceptor requirements and test coverage.
• Test Requirements & Architecture Ownership: Define Subassembly test strategies.
• Test Requirements & Architecture Ownership: Define Qualification test configurations.
• Test Requirements & Architecture Ownership: Define Production acceptance test philosophy.
• Test Requirements & Architecture Ownership: Define Fault-injection and edge‑case coverage approaches.
• Test Requirements & Architecture Ownership: Develop interface control documents (ICDs) between product and test systems.
• Test Requirements & Architecture Ownership: Balance verification rigor with cycle time, cost, and rate considerations.
• Physical STE Design & Hardware Realization: Design complete STE hardware systems including Mechanical fixtures.
• Physical STE Design & Hardware Realization: Design complete STE hardware systems including Electrical interface panels.
• Physical STE Design & Hardware Realization: Design complete STE hardware systems including Breakout harnesses.
• Physical STE Design & Hardware Realization: Design complete STE hardware systems including Load simulators.
• Physical STE Design & Hardware Realization: Design complete STE hardware systems including Signal conditioning hardware.
• Physical STE Design & Hardware Realization: Design complete STE hardware systems including Test racks and enclosures.
• Physical STE Design & Hardware Realization: Generate full technical data packages: Schematics.
• Physical STE Design & Hardware Realization: Generate full technical data packages: Wiring diagrams.
• Physical STE Design & Hardware Realization: Generate full technical data packages: Harness drawings.
• Physical STE Design & Hardware Realization: Generate full technical data packages: Mechanical CAD models.
• Physical STE Design & Hardware Realization: Generate full technical data packages: Assembly documentation.
• Physical STE Design & Hardware Realization: Select and integrate instrumentation (DAQ, power supplies, RF equipment, environmental interfaces).
• Physical STE Design & Hardware Realization: Design safe high‑voltage, high‑current, and energetics‑compatible test interfaces as required.
• Hands‑On Build & Integration: Lead and directly support Rack assembly.
• Hands‑On Build & Integration: Lead and directly support Panel wiring.
• Hands‑On Build & Integration: Lead and directly support Harness fabrication.
• Hands‑On Build & Integration: Lead and directly support Fixture assembly.
• Hands‑On Build & Integration: Lead and directly support Hardware bring‑up and debug.
• Hands‑On Build & Integration: Conduct bench‑level integration of hardware and automation software.
• Hands‑On Build & Integration: Debug electrical, mechanical, and software integration issues.
• Hands‑On Build & Integration: Validate signal integrity, power distribution, and system stability.
• Hands‑On Build & Integration: This role is expected to be present at the bench and on the floor during integration.
• Automated Test & Production Deployment: Develop automated test software (e.g., LabVIEW, Python, C++, etc.).
• Automated Test & Production Deployment: Architect production test stations optimized for Throughput.
• Automated Test & Production Deployment: Architect production test stations optimized for Repeatability.
• Automated Test & Production Deployment: Architect production test stations optimized for Operator simplicity.
• Automated Test & Production Deployment: Architect production test stations optimized for Error‑proofing.
• Automated Test & Production Deployment: Define takt‑aligned test cycle times in coordination with Industrial Engineering.
• Automated Test & Production Deployment: Integrate STE into MES for data capture and traceability.
• Automated Test & Production Deployment: Lead factory installation and commissioning of LRIP test stations.
• Automated Test & Production Deployment: Drive rapid iteration and refinement during pilot and early production builds.
• Design and build fixtures and instrumentation for Vibration.
• Design and build fixtures and instrumentation for Thermal.
• Design and build fixtures and instrumentation for Shock.
• Design and build fixtures and instrumentation for EMI/EMC.
• Support qualification campaigns with robust data acquisition strategies.
• Lead root cause analysis of test anomalies.
• STE Lifecycle & Rate Scaling: Manage configuration control and revisions of test systems.
• STE Lifecycle & Rate Scaling: Improve test cycle time and reliability as production scales.
• STE Lifecycle & Rate Scaling: Establish maintenance, calibration, and sustainment strategies.
• STE Lifecycle & Rate Scaling: Drive cost‑down efforts for production‑deployed test systems.
• STE Lifecycle & Rate Scaling: Plan replication of test stations as rate increases.
• Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or related discipline.
• 5+ years experience designing and building custom test equipment for aerospace, defense, automotive, or high‑reliability electromechanical systems.
• Demonstrated experience translating product requirements into test system architecture.
• Hands‑on experience with Electrical schematic design.
• Hands‑on experience with Wiring and panel integration.
• Hands‑on experience with Instrumentation integration.
• Hands‑on experience with debugging integrated electro‑mechanical systems.
• Familiarity with root cause methodologies and failure analysis.
• U.S. Citizenship required; ability to obtain and maintain DoD clearance.

Preferred Requirements

• Experience with missile, UAV, or guided munition systems.
• Experience designing HIL systems for avionics or control systems.
• Experience deploying test stations into LRIP or production environments.
• Familiarity with NI hardware platforms.
• Familiarity with RF testing.
• Familiarity with Actuator/servo testing.
• Experience integrating test systems with MES/PLM infrastructure.
• Experience in energetics or explosive‑safe environments.

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: 450 employees and counting across 5 global offices

Salary Range: $110,000 - $160,000

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.

Export Controls

This position may require access to information and technology that is subject to U.S. export controls. Your responses to the questions below will be used solely to determine your eligibility under U.S. law to receive information and materials subject to U.S. export controls.

As set forth in CHAOS Industries’s Equal Employment Opportunity policy, we do not discriminate on the basis of any protected group status under any applicable law.