Jobs at Varda Space Industries

Own end-to-end spacecraft guidance, navigation, and controls development, including architecture, modeling, simulation, algorithm design, hardware-in-the-loop testing, vehicle integration, flight testing, mission planning, and on-orbit operations. Develop six-degree-of-freedom simulations, perform trajectory optimization and Monte Carlo analyses, specify ADCS hardware, troubleshoot system performance, and coordinate with spacecraft operators, agencies, and the U.S. government.

Designs, builds, and maintains automated test systems and ground support equipment for spacecraft and flight hardware. Integrates thermal, pressure, data acquisition, and instrumentation systems; develops PLC frameworks and EtherCAT tooling; designs electrical panels and wiring; and commissions systems end-to-end. Partners with propulsion, avionics, GNC, and manufacturing teams while making real-time control architecture decisions and improving system maintainability.

Designs, builds, commissions, and maintains ground support equipment and test infrastructure for spacecraft qualification and manufacturing. Integrates mechanical, electrical, fluid, instrumentation, PLC, and data acquisition systems. Owns systems from concept through fabrication and ongoing support, including propulsion test stands, environmental chambers, thermal control systems, gas and liquid systems, and control cabinets. Partners with engineering and manufacturing teams while improving reliability, documentation, and production uptime.

Designs, builds, and maintains automated test systems and ground support equipment for spacecraft hardware. Integrates thermal, pressure, data acquisition, and precision instrumentation systems; develops PLC frameworks and EtherCAT tooling; designs electrical panels; wires cabinets; debugs hardware; and commissions control systems. Partners with propulsion, avionics, GNC, and manufacturing teams while contributing to real-time control architecture, safety systems, and maintainable engineering standards.

Designs, builds, commissions, and maintains ground support equipment and test infrastructure for spacecraft and propulsion hardware. Integrates mechanical, electrical, fluid, instrumentation, PLC, and data acquisition systems. Owns systems from concept through fabrication and production support while ensuring high uptime and reliable performance. Collaborates with propulsion, avionics, GNC, and manufacturing teams, develops test stands and environmental systems, and documents procedures and schematics. Makes minor updates to PLC and EtherCAT tooling and supports rapid R&D and long-term infrastructure improvements.

Own spacecraft final assembly integration from subassembly mating through vehicle closeout. Develop integration procedures, assembly travelers, and work instructions; coordinate structures, propulsion, avionics, and TPS teams; resolve interface conflicts; lead readiness reviews; manage nonconformances and root-cause actions; track cycle time, NCRs, and rework; and define tooling and handling requirements for safe, efficient vehicle production.

Own end-to-end manufacturing processes for propulsion hardware, including valve assembly, tube fabrication, pressure vessel integration, and engine integration. Develop work instructions and process specifications, improve production cadence, enforce cleanliness and contamination controls, lead root-cause corrective actions, define tooling and test requirements, resolve quality issues, and optimize work-cell layouts for concurrent vehicle builds.

Owns manufacturing processes for aerospace structural assemblies, including composites, machined metals, and bonded structures. Develops work instructions, process specifications, travelers, tooling, and production layouts; provides DFM guidance; enforces contamination and FOD controls; leads nonconformance investigations and corrective actions; and coordinates material inspection with supply chain. The role supports scaling spacecraft and reentry capsule production while improving throughput, quality, and build cadence.

Develop and operate reliable spacecraft ground-segment software supporting telemetry, commanding, mission control interfaces, simulation, test automation, and data distribution. Build mission-platform tooling, CI/CD pipelines, infrastructure-as-code, observability, deployment systems, and mission-grade operator interfaces. Support software deployments across labs, test ranges, and mission networks, including air-gapped environments, while collaborating with flight software, avionics, RF systems, GNC, and mission operations teams.

Develop and support reliable spacecraft flight software for satellite buses and reentry capsules across requirements, design, implementation, testing, integration, verification, validation, and flight operations. Build embedded software in C++ for bare-metal, RTOS, and Linux environments. Scope projects, perform design trades, and solve open-ended technical problems. Preferred experience includes spacecraft launches, real-time embedded systems, aerospace safety-critical software, CCSDS telemetry, F' or cFS, Python or Rust, electronics, and spacecraft communication interfaces.

Develop and maintain reliable spacecraft, satellite bus, and reentry capsule flight software. Responsibilities include requirements capture, design trades, C++ firmware development for bare-metal, RTOS, or Linux systems, integration, testing, verification and validation, and flight operational support for safety-critical aerospace systems.

Own end-to-end manufacturing processes for aerospace propulsion hardware, including valve assembly, tube fabrication, pressure vessel integration, engine integration, testing, cleanliness control, tooling, and work instructions. Lead process improvements, root cause analysis, corrective actions, quality issue resolution, and production-flow optimization to increase build cadence and support concurrent vehicle production.

Own and improve end-to-end manufacturing processes for propulsion hardware, including valve assembly, tube fabrication, pressure vessel integration, engine integration, and acceptance testing. Develop work instructions and process specifications, enforce cleanliness and contamination controls, lead root-cause corrective actions, define tooling and test equipment, resolve hardware quality issues, and optimize work-cell layouts to increase production cadence and support concurrent vehicle builds.

Own manufacturing and integration processes for spacecraft payload systems, including pharmaceutical hardware, experiments, and customer equipment. Develop work instructions, assembly travelers, acceptance tests, and traceable build records. Interface with payload customers and design teams, provide DFM/DFA feedback, manage contamination control, execute verification, and lead nonconformance root-cause analysis and corrective actions. Coordinate payload readiness with vehicle integration while working hands-on with technicians and flight hardware.

Owns Varda’s advanced-concepts government business pipeline, leading opportunity identification, capture strategy, customer engagement, proposals, negotiations, and contract closure. The role translates classified customer needs into mission concepts, architectures, and business cases while building relationships across defense, intelligence, and government stakeholders. It also develops teaming partnerships, guides bid/no-bid decisions, mentors business development staff, and reports portfolio performance to executives. The position requires extensive national security, acquisition, and non-traditional contracting expertise, active TS/SCI clearance, and substantial travel between Washington, DC and El Segundo.

Lead Varda’s defense strategy and business development across the Indo-Pacific. Build relationships with U.S. military commands, allied defense ministries, and industry partners; identify and close missile defense, hypersonic testing, and space cargo opportunities. Manage solicitations from white papers through proposals and contracts, interpret regional defense budgets and procurement cycles, translate theater requirements into technical solutions, and represent Varda at defense forums. The role is based onsite in Honolulu and requires extensive Pacific Rim and U.S. travel.

Owns end-to-end purchasing and strategic sourcing for precision-machined components used in spacecraft and propulsion systems. Responsibilities include issuing RFQs, placing purchase orders, negotiating supplier pricing and lead times, monitoring delivery and quality, developing supplier networks, maintaining planning data, identifying supply constraints, and creating mitigation plans. The role collaborates closely with engineering, production, quality, and suppliers in an on-site aerospace manufacturing environment.

Own procurement of precision-machined components from RFQ through delivery. Responsibilities include issuing RFQs, placing purchase orders, managing supplier relationships, negotiating pricing and lead times, monitoring supplier capacity and delivery performance, maintaining planning data, identifying supply constraints, and developing mitigation plans. The role partners closely with engineering, production, quality, and supply chain teams to build a preferred supplier network and support spacecraft production milestones.

Design, analyze, build, test, and deliver primary and secondary structures for spacecraft and reentry vehicles. Perform structural calculations, finite element analysis, CAD design, requirements development, design trades, qualification testing, tooling development, and production documentation. Collaborate across disciplines, support mechanical ground equipment and spacecraft mechanisms, and mentor junior engineers.

Design, analyze, test, and integrate structural components for spacecraft, reentry vehicles, and ground support equipment. Responsibilities include deriving hardware requirements, performing design trades and structural analyses, managing hardware delivery, conducting qualification testing, and developing tooling for integration. The role requires hands-on collaboration with experienced engineers on real aerospace hardware in an on-site environment.