Staff RF Engineer

• 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 is seeking a Staff RF Engineer with deep expertise in RF circuit design to lead the design, analysis, integration
• verification of high-reliability RF and microwave electronics for aerospace and defense applications. This role works as part of a cross-functional, agile development team and spans the full product lifecycle, from early architecture and component trade studies through detailed design, testing, production support
• post-production sustainment of mission-critical systems.
• The ideal candidate is an experienced RF circuit designer with strong hands-on experience across RF boards, MMIC-based designs, packaging constraints
• can provide sound technical judgment when balancing performance, risk, manufacturability
• This is a full-time, on-site position in Hawthorne, CA

Responsibilities

• Lead design, analysis, prototyping, and tuning of RF circuit boards incorporating catalog MMICs, including LNAs, power amplifiers, baluns, filters, mixers, and associated bias and matching networks
• Perform architecture development and component trade studies to meet system-level RF performance requirements
• Develop schematics, layouts, and design documentation in accordance with customer requirements, aerospace standards, and internal design practices
• Conduct linear, nonlinear, and electromagnetic simulations using industry-standard tools (e.g., HFSS, ADS, AWR, or equivalent)
• Support PCB layout (Altium) and RF stack-up definition, including impedance control, grounding, shielding, and isolation techniques
• Plan and execute RF testing and characterization, including integration and troubleshooting at the board, module, and subsystem levels
• Contribute to the design and specification of RF test equipment, fixtures, and automation
• Collaborate with systems, power, digital, mechanical, and software engineers to ensure RF designs integrate cleanly within larger systems
• Serve as a technical contributor from development through production and post-production, including failure analysis and field support
• Minimum Requirements:
• Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering with 8+ years of progressively responsible RF engineering experience
• Experience developing RF hardware for aerospace, defense, avionics, radar, EW, communications, or space systems
• Strong understanding of RF fundamentals, including gain, noise figure, linearity, phase noise, stability, and impedance matching
• Hands-on experience with RF test equipment (e.g., VNAs, spectrum analyzers, signal generators, power meters)
• Demonstrated ability to analyze, troubleshoot, and resolve complex RF circuit performance issues
• Strong attention to detail and ability to operate effectively in fast-paced, development-focused environments
• Ability to obtain and maintain a U.S. security clearance
• Preferred Requirements:
• Advanced Degree (MS or PhD) in Electrical Engineering, Systems Engineering, Physics, Mathematics or related discipline
• Experience with power amplifier design, analysis, and integration
• Familiarity with EMI/EMC considerations for RF systems and compliance with applicable aerospace standards
• Experience with mixed-signal or RF/digital interfaces
• Knowledge of manufacturing considerations for RF hardware, including tolerance analysis and yield drivers
• Experience supporting production hardware and fielded systems
• Experience with RF PCB layout best practices and design-for-manufacturing considerations
• Familiarity with DO-160, MIL-STD-461, or similar aerospace/defense standards
• Familiarity with RF antenna design principles
• 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: 250 employees and counting across 5 global offices
• $150k-210k
• 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.
• #LI-onsite