Industrial Designer

CHAOS Industries•El Segundo, CA

14h•$167,000 - $248,000•Onsite

About The Position

CHAOS Industries is seeking an Industrial Designer to shape the physical and human-facing aspects of our next-generation dual-use systems. This role involves defining and driving the industrial design vision across hardware and user-facing systems, balancing operational constraints with a cohesive product identity. The designer will collaborate with hardware, software, and user interface teams to ensure products are high-performing, intuitive, durable, and thoughtfully designed for their operating environments. This position is at the intersection of industrial design, human factors, and product strategy, bridging engineering-driven development and user-centered design. The ideal candidate is a hands-on designer experienced in ruggedized products for demanding environments like military, aerospace, or industrial applications. This is a full-time, on-site position in Los Angeles, CA, with approximately 20% travel for field testing and user interaction.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Industrial Design or related field
5+ 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

Nice To Haves

Experience designing military or defense-adjacent systems, or products used in harsh environments
Exposure to mounted/dismounted systems, sensor platforms, or vehicle-integrated products
Familiarity with human-machine interface design across both physical and digital systems
Experience working with rapid prototyping tools (3D printing, shop tools, etc.)
Previous experience building high fidelity visual models, developing guidance documents and communicating with build vendors
Familiarity speccing color, material, and finish for mass-produced products
Proficiency with common industrial design tools - Solidworks, Keyshot, Adobe Suite, Figma, and engineering PDM software
Experience conducting or supporting user research, field studies, or operator interviews
Experience designing MIL-Spec products
Active U.S. security clearance

Responsibilities

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
Partner with marketing, growth, and brand design groups to develop the CHAOS brand language through physical representations of new products
Create conceptual design proposals for new products and mission types
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