Test Equipment Design Engineer - Effectors

Test Equipment Design Engineer – EffectorsLocation Los AngelesContact Marella HajjarJob Ref 10909Published 4 months agoJob Type PermanentJob DescriptionCHAOS 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 .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:Development benchesQualification fixturesHardware-in-the-loop (HIL) systemsProduction acceptance stationsYou 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: * Derive test equipment functional requirements from system and subsystem specifications.Establish traceability between interceptor requirements and test coverage.Define:Develop interface control documents (ICDs) between product and test systems.Balance verification rigor with cycle time, cost, and rate considerations.Physical STE Design & Hardware RealizationDesign complete STE hardware systems including:Mechanical fixturesElectrical interface panelsBreakout harnessesLoad simulatorsSignal conditioning hardwareTest racks and enclosuresGenerate full technical data packages:SchematicsWiring diagramsHarness drawingsMechanical CAD modelsAssembly documentationSelect and integrate instrumentation (DAQ, power supplies, RF equipment, environmental interfaces).Design safe high-voltage, high-current, and energetics-compatible test interfaces as required.Hands-On Build & IntegrationConduct bench-level integration of hardware and automation software.Debug electrical, mechanical, and software integration issues.Validate signal integrity, power distribution, and system stability.This role is expected to be present at the bench and on the floor during integration.Automated Test & Production DeploymentDevelop automated test software (e.g., LabVIEW, Python, C++, etc.).Architect production test stations optimized for:ThroughputRepeatabilityOperator simplicityError-proofingDefine takt-aligned test cycle times in coordination with Industrial Engineering.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 and early production builds.Qualification & Environmental Test Support* VibrationThermalShockEMI/EMCSupport qualification campaigns with robust data acquisition strategies.Lead root cause analysis of test anomalies.Update STE configurations as designs mature.STE Lifecycle & Rate ScalingManage configuration control and revisions of test systems.Improve test cycle time and reliability as production scales.Establish maintenance, calibration, and sustainment strategies.Drive cost-down efforts for production-deployed test systems.Plan replication of test stations as rate increases.Minimum Requirements: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:Experience 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: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 companyAdditional benefits: 401k (+ 50% company match up to 6% of pay), FSA, HSA, life insurance, and moreOur Perks: Free daily lunch, ‘No meeting Fridays’, unlimited PTO, casual dress codeCompensation Components: Competitive base salaries, generous pre-IPO stock option grants, relocation assistance, and (coming soon!) annual bonusesTeam Growth: 200 employees and counting across 5 global officesSalary Range: $110,000 – $160,000The 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.