Contracts Administrator

Contracts Administrator

El Segundo, California, United States

CHAOS Industries is redefining modern defense with a multi-product portfolio that gives the ultimate advantagedomain 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 Overview:

CHAOS Industries builds advanced defense and national-security systems at the speed our customers need themand contracts is where that speed is either enabled or lost. We are seeking an experienced Contracts Administrator to manage the full lifecycle of our government and commercial contracts, from proposal through closeout, with the rigor of a prime and the pace of a startup.

You will partner with Program Management, Finance, Legal, and Supply Chain, you will be the system of record for contractual actions across the portfolio and a trusted business advisor on the requirements, deliverables, and risks that move our programs forward. This is a hands-on role working primarily across negotiated procurements under FAR Part 15 and commercial product and service acquisitions under FAR Part 12.

Responsibilities:

• Administer assigned contracts, task orders, and modifications across their full lifecycle, ensuring every action is documented, compliant, and audit-ready.
• Maintain contract files, records, and data within CHAOS systems as the authoritative source for deliverables, funding, periods of performance, and key milestones.
• Track and manage contractual deliverables, reporting deadlines, funding actions, and option exercises, flagging risks to Program Management before they become problems.
• Support solicitation review, proposal preparation, and award activities for both commercial-item (FAR Part 12) and negotiated (FAR Part 15) acquisitions.
• Prepare and process contract modifications, amendments, and change documentation, confirming consistency with the agreements reached.
• Maintain representations and certifications in SAM and assemble reps-and-certs packages for proposal submissions.
• Coordinate contract execution and signature workflows, and support compliance reviews, government audits, and contract closeout.
• Maintain customer correspondence and contractual communications, and assist with NDAs, teaming agreements, and consulting agreements as needed.
• Help build the playbookcontribute to the templates, processes, and tools of a contracts function being stood up from the ground up.

Minimum Requirements:

• Bachelor's degree and 8+ years of contract administration experience; or a Master's degree and 6+ years; or, in lieu of a degree, 12+ years of directly related experience.
• Hands-on experience supporting U.S. Government acquisitions under FAR Part 12 (commercial products and services) and FAR Part 15 (contracting by negotiation).
• Familiarity with the DFARS, including its key clauses and contract flowdowns.
• Demonstrated experience administering contract modifications and maintaining contract documentation and records of record.
• Working familiarity with multiple contract types (FFP, T&M, and cost-reimbursement).
• Strong organization, attention to detail, and written and verbal communication skills.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office and contract management systems.
• U.S. citizenship is required: this role accesses export-controlled information and requires a U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) Secret security clearancecurrent, or the ability to obtain and maintain one.

Preferred Requirements:

• Experience supporting DoD other federal government customers.
• Working knowledge of FAR (including Parts 12 and 15) and DFARS, with exposure to OTA agreements and IDIQ vehicles.
• Prior experience as a Contract Specialist, Contract Administrator, or GS-1102 acquisition professional.
• NCMA certification or equivalent.
• Experience in aerospace, defense, manufacturing, or technology environments.
• Active U.S. Department of Defense Secret or Top Secret security clearance.

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

Salary Range: $120,000 - $170,000

The 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.