Lead Industrial Designer

Requirements Bachelor’s degree in Industrial Design or related field

• 7+ years of experience in industrial design, with a focus on ruggedized, outdoor, or mission-critical products
• Demonstrated experience taking products from concept through production
• Strong portfolio showcasing shipped products (military, aerospace, industrial, automotive, or adjacent fields preferred)
• Experience designing for real-world use — including ergonomics, human factors, and operational workflows
• Ability to create and communicate design intent through sketches, renderings, prototypes, and storytelling
• Working knowledge of DFMA and manufacturing constraints, with the ability to collaborate effectively with mechanical engineers and manufacturing process engineers
• Understanding of environmental and durability considerations (e.g., weather exposure, handling, transport, field use)
• Strong cross-functional collaboration skills with engineering, product, and leadership teams
• Ability to obtain and maintain a U.S. security clearance
• (Desirable) Experience designing military or defense-adjacent systems, or products used in harsh environments
• (Desirable) Exposure to mounted/dismounted systems, sensor platforms, or vehicle-integrated products
• (Desirable) Familiarity with human-machine interface design across both physical and digital systems
• (Desirable) Experience working with rapid prototyping tools (3D printing, shop tools, etc.)
• (Desirable) Proficiency with common design tools (e.g., CAD, Adobe Suite, Figma), without requiring deep CAD ownership
• (Desirable) Experience conducting or supporting user research, field studies, or operator interviews
• (Desirable) Experience designing MIL-Spec products
• (Desirable) Active U.S. security clearance

What the job involves CHAOS is seeking a Lead Industrial Designer to shape the physical and human-facing aspects of our next-generation dual-use systems – spanning mounted and dismounted sensor platforms, ground-based vehicles, and airborne effectors

• In this role, you will define and drive industrial design vision across hardware and user-facing systems, balancing real-world operational constraints with a cohesive product identity. You will work closely with hardware, software, and user interface teams to ensure our products are not only high-performing, but intuitive, durable, and thoughtfully designed for the environments in which they operate
• This role sits at the intersection of industrial design, human factors, and product strategy – bridging the gap between engineering-driven development and user-centered design
• The ideal candidate is a hands-on, build-and-ship designer (not purely studio-based), with experience designing ruggedized products for demanding environments such as military, aerospace, or industrial applications
• This is a full-time, on-site position in Los Angeles, CA, with ~20% travel for field testing and user interaction
• Define and drive the industrial design vision across a portfolio of dual-use products, ensuring alignment with brand, usability, and mission requirements
• Translate complex system requirements into intuitive physical form factors, layouts, and user interactions
• Design for real-world use cases, including deployment, transport, setup, maintenance, and operation in austere environments
• Collaborate with hardware, software, and UI teams to ensure a cohesive end-to-end user experience across physical and digital interfaces
• Develop concepts, mockups, and prototypes (low- to high-fidelity) to rapidly iterate on form, ergonomics, and usability
• Guide trade studies between performance, size, usability, and visual design, helping the organization make intentional design decisions
• Influence product architecture early to improve usability, serviceability, and operator efficiency
• Ensure designs account for ruggedization, environmental exposure, and manufacturability, in collaboration with mechanical engineering
• Provide design direction and critique across teams to maintain consistency and quality
• Participate in field testing and user engagement, incorporating feedback from operators into iterative design improvements
• Help evolve a design language that balances high-performance systems with a disciplined, mission-appropriate aesthetic

, What Success Looks Like:

• Products that are easier to deploy, operate, and maintain in the field
• Clear, intentional tradeoffs between performance and usability
• A recognizable and consistent design language aligned with brand image
• Strong alignment between engineering, product vision, and user needs
• Designs that balance visual quality with mission appropriateness — modern without being ornamental

#J-18808-Ljbffr CHAOS Industries