Principal Mission Systems Engineer, IPT Lead
Principal mission systems engineer and IPT lead who owns the mission systems architecture for CHAOS Industries' Massed Modular Aircraft (MMA) program, translating USAF CONOPS/TTPs into requirements, defining C2 and payload interfaces, leading trade studies, and driving mission-level verification with Air Force stakeholders. Requires 15+ years of mission systems engineering with direct USAF mission
- Compensation
- $198K–$300K / yr
- Location
- El Segundo, California, United States
- Work setup
- Not specified
- Seniority
- Principal
- Employment
- Not specified
- Experience
- 15+ years
- Category
- Software engineering
- Posted
Skills
Must have
- Bachelor's degree in Systems Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or related discipline
- 15+ years of mission systems engineering experience with direct, hands-on USAF mission operations experience
- Experience translating operational CONOPS/TTPs into engineering requirements and design decisions
- Strong understanding of mission planning, sensor/payload employment concepts, and C2 interoperability as applied to USAF operations
- Experience supporting developmental and/or operational test planning and execution with operational stakeholders
- Direct experience with UAS mission operations, including remotely piloted or autonomous mission employment concepts
Nice to have
- Advanced degree
- Former USAF operator background (pilot, sensor operator, intelligence/mission planning career field)
- Familiarity with USAF/joint tactical data links and C2 systems
- Experience supporting DoD proposal efforts, including mission utility analysis and CONOPS development
- Experience with modular, attritable, low-cost, or mass-producible aircraft programs and 'mass' operational concepts
- Ability to obtain/maintain Secret/Top Secret/SCI clearance
Full 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 .
**Role Overview:
We are seeking an experienced Principal Mission Systems Engineer who will own the mission systems architecture and operational employment concept for the Massed Modular Aircraft (MMA) program, ensuring the platform is designed not just to fly, but to execute real U.S. Air Force (USAF) mission sets as operators actually employ them. This role translates USAF Concepts of Operations (CONOPS), tactics/techniques/procedures (TTPs), and mission planning/employment workflows into concrete mission systems requirements, driving design decisions across payload integration, sensor-to-shooter/sensor-to-decision chains, mission planning, and command-and-control (C2) interoperability. The ideal candidate brings direct experience with USAF mission operations — either as a former operator, mission systems engineer supporting operational units, or developer working closely with operational USAF customers — and can credibly bridge the gap between operational requirements and engineering design decisions.Responsibilities:**
- Own the mission systems architecture for the MMA platform, including payload/sensor employment, mission planning, mission execution logic, and data/information flow supporting the operational mission.
- Translate USAF CONOPS, TTPs, and operational employment concepts into traceable mission systems requirements and architecture decisions.
- Define mission system interfaces with onboard avionics, the Ground Control Station (GCS), payload/sensor subsystems, and relevant command-and-control (C2) networks.
- Lead mission-level trade studies (e.g., sensor coverage, mission endurance, payload employment timing, autonomy/automation level) balancing operational effectiveness against cost, weight, and producibility constraints inherent to a modular, mass-producible platform.
- Serve as the engineering team's primary interface to USAF operational stakeholders (e.g., operational units, Air Combat Command or relevant MAJCOM representatives, government mission systems leads) to ensure design decisions reflect real-world employment needs.
- Participate in or lead mission utility analysis, wargaming, and operational employment reviews to validate that system design supports intended mission outcomes.