Principal Mechanical Engineer

The role

The Principal Mechanical Engineer will lead the design for mechanical integration of military electronics and effector systems with platform structures and mechanisms. This role spans the full product lifecycle from concept development through production and sustainment.

What you will do

• Provide technical leadership and hands-on prototyping and mechanical integration of mission systems
• Architect and design mechanical structures, frames, mounts, enclosures, and mechanisms
• Develop and maintain 3D CAD models, assemblies, and interface control documentation
• Perform first-order structural and thermal analyses and requirements allocations
• Lead system-level integration, qualification, and acceptance activities
• 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

Required qualifications

• 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

Nice to have

• 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)

Benefits

• Medical, dental, and vision benefits 100% paid for by the company
• 401k (+ 50% company match up to 6% of pay)
• FSA
• HSA
• life insurance
• Free daily lunch
• No meeting Fridays
• unlimited PTO
• casual dress code
• pre-IPO stock option grants
• relocation assistance
• annual bonuses (coming soon)

Before you apply

• Ability to obtain and maintain a U.S. security clearance

About the company

CHAOS Industries delivers advanced sensing and detection solutions for defense, commercial air operators, and border protection teams. The company is designed and built by top U.S. military veterans and Silicon Valley innovators.