Principal Contracts Manager

• 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
• border protection teams to act faster, adapt rapidly
• 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
• Valor Equity Partners. The company is headquartered in Los Angeles, with offices in Washington, D.C., San Francisco, San Diego, Seattle
• London. For more information, please visit www.chaosinc.com .
• Role Overview:
• CHAOS Industries is scaling a portfolio of advanced defense and national-security programs
• we need a senior contracts leader to own the contractual execution behind them. We are seeking a Principal Contracts Manager to serve as the primary contractual authority and interface between CHAOS, our government customers, prime contractors
• international partners.
• You will own contracts from proposal through closeout, lead negotiations
• advise leadership on risk—while also leading the contractual execution of our international business, including Foreign Military Sales (FMS) and Direct Commercial Sales (DCS).
• You will design and stand up the structure, processes, and tools of CHAOS’s government contracts group to grow the function, and your own scope, as the company scales

Responsibilities

• Serve as the primary contracts lead for assigned government and commercial programs, interfacing directly with Contracting Officers, prime contractors, and program offices.
• Interpret and administer contracts, task orders, and modifications across a range of instruments, including FFP, cost-reimbursable, T&M, IDIQ, BOAs, and Other Transaction Agreements (OTAs).
• Lead the contractual execution of Foreign Military Sales (FMS) and Direct Commercial Sales (DCS) efforts—including support to Pricing & Availability (P&A) responses, Letters of Request and Letters of Offer and Acceptance (LOR/LOA), FMS case administration
• coordination with DSCA, prime contractors
• partner-nation customers.
• Coordinate export-control requirements (ITAR/EAR) and required authorizations—such as Technical Assistance Agreements (TAAs) and DSP licenses—with Trade Compliance and Legal.
• Lead proposal reviews, negotiations, and award activities, including pricing strategy, terms, and risk positions.
• Manage contract modifications, funding actions, scope changes, and period-of-performance extensions, and oversee CDRLs, data rights, and government reporting requirements.
• Advise program and executive leadership on contractual risk, compliance obligations, and business considerations.
• Design and stand up the government contracts group—its policies, processes, templates, systems, and internal controls—and mentor junior contracts staff as the team grows.
• Minimum Requirements:
• Bachelor's degree and 10+ years of government contracts experience; or a Master's degree or JD and 8+ years.
• Strong working knowledge of the FAR and DFARS across the full contract lifecycle (proposal, administration, and closeout).
• Experience administering DoD or federal government contracts across multiple contract types (FFP, cost-reimbursable, T&M, IDIQ, and OTA).
• Direct experience with Foreign Military Sales (FMS) and/or Direct Commercial Sales (DCS), including LOA/case administration or international contract execution.
• Familiarity with CDRLs, funding modifications, data rights, and government reporting requirements.
• Excellent written, verbal, and negotiation skills.
• U.S. citizenship is required: this role accesses export-controlled information and requires a U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) Secret security clearance—current, or the ability to obtain and maintain one.
• Preferred Requirements:
• Active U.S. Department of Defense Secret or Top Secret security clearance.
• Experience standing up or scaling a government contracts function in a growing company.
• Experience in defense technology, aerospace, autonomy, robotics, or advanced hardware development.
• Experience supporting startup or high-growth organizations.
• Familiarity with Truthful Cost or Pricing Data Act, Cost Accounting Standards (CAS), and FAR cost-allowability principles.
• Familiarity with U.S. security cooperation / DSCA processes, Offset / Industrial Participation, and partner-nation requirements.
• Unlimited Warrant held, or NCMA certification (CPCM or CFCM).
• 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: 350 employees and counting across 5 global offices
• The stated compensation range reflects only the targeted base compensation range and excludes additional earnings such as bonus, equity
• 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.
• Recruiting Agencies: CHAOS Industries does not accept unsolicited resumes or outreach. Unsolicited submissions will not be reviewed or compensated.
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