Operations Analyst: Mission Engineering

CHAOS Industries•Hawthorne, CA

1d•Onsite

About The Position

On the Mission Engineering team at CHAOS, you will design, develop, execute, analyze, and validate models and simulations to deliver operational analysis and system performance assessment across defense, national security, and commercial programs. You will have freedom to move rapidly and use your expertise to apply rigorous statistical methods to analyze simulation outcomes, quantify system effectiveness, and communicate actionable insights to technical teams, leadership, and customers. Your work will directly inform critical decisions around sensor performance, mission planning, weapon effectiveness, and platform capability evaluation. This is a foundational hire. You will shape how CHAOS does mission analysis from day one, and you will have the freedom to move fast.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree or higher in Computer Science, Aerospace/Software/Computer Engineering, Data Science, Statistics, Mathematics, Operations Research, Physics, or a related field.
5+ years of experience supporting defense, intelligence, or advanced technology programs through industry or government employment.
Demonstrated track record leading mission-level operations analysis studies and delivering decision-quality results to senior engineering and customer stakeholders.
Extensive direct experience with combat simulations such as AFSIM, ESAMS, Brawler, Ansys STK, or equivalent, including ownership of rigorous methodology, not just execution.
Significant experience developing analytical tools and applying rigorous statistical methods to interpret and present results.
Strong proficiency in Python and MATLAB, including standard scientific computing libraries (such as Pandas, Polars, NumPy, SciPy, Scikit-Learn, Matplotlib, Seaborn, CuPy, or PyTorch).
Exceptional data visualization skills and comfort developing CONOPS / OV-1 visuals and briefing packages.
Proficiency with software development practices including version control and leveraging/validating outputs of AI-assisted coding tools.
Demonstrated ability to lead analytical efforts and deliver products with minimal oversight, including leading projects and studies.
Comfortable working on Linux-based systems and writing scalable scripts and software.
Exceptional written and verbal communication skills, including experience briefing flag/general officer or SES -level audiences.
Eligibility to obtain a Top Secret / Sensitive Compartmented Information (TS/SCI) clearance

Nice To Haves

Active TS / SCI clearance.
Recognized expertise analyzing the full kill chain (find, fix, track, target, engage, assess) across multiple domains, including air-to-air, air-to-surface, surface-to-air, space, and electronic warfare engagements.
Deep expertise in sensor performance analysis (especially radar) and in developing and validating models of sensors, communications, weapons, aircraft, spacecraft, or ground/maritime systems in mission-level simulation environments such as AFSIM or Ansys STK.
Experience leading study teams or technical working groups across organizations, including model accreditation, V&V efforts, or threat-informed scenario development.
Experience designing and analyzing large-scale Monte Carlo and DOE-driven simulation campaigns supporting system effectiveness or kill chain assessment.
Exposure to Distributed Interactive Simulation (DIS) networking and visualization tools such as MAK VR-Forces, SIMDIS, or similar.
Experience supporting rapid development programs across DoD services, DARPA, ONR, AFRL, COCOMs, the acquisition community, or commercial advanced technology programs.
Experience supporting capture and positioning activities (RFI / RFP responses, white papers, technical exchanges) and shaping new business pursuits.

Responsibilities

Scope, plan, and execute modeling and simulation efforts and studies aligned to program objectives, managing your competing priorities and timelines effectively.
Develop, configure, and execute analysis using mission-level models and simulations such as AFSIM, ESAMS, Brawler, Ansys STK, and/or physics-based models to evaluate system and platform performance in operationally relevant scenarios.
Build and refine models of sensors, communications systems, aircraft (including unmanned), weapons, and spacecraft within mission-level simulation frameworks.
Architect, implement, and validate models of both blue and red systems, sensors, communications, weapons, aircraft, spacecraft, and ground/maritime platforms, within mission- and engagement-level simulation frameworks.
Define and apply rigorous statistical methodologies to simulation results to quantify measures of effectiveness and performance to produce relevant and defensible findings for internal and external stakeholders.
Develop and maintain Python-based analysis tools and pipelines for data processing, statistical analysis, and visualization.
Implement technical methodology, simulation best practices, and customer engagement.
Document methodology, assumptions, and findings in technical reports and briefing materials, including data visualizations, and present results to both technical and non-technical audiences.
Partner with engineering, product, growth, and customer teams to translate operational questions into well-structured analytical approaches and shape new business pursuits.
Push back when the framing is wrong.