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Ground Support Automation & Controls Engineer II Verified today

Varda Space · El Segundo, CA · Space Systems · first seen 2026-10-28
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About Varda

Varda accelerates commercial space infrastructure, from in-orbit pharmaceutical processing to reliable reentry capsules. The W-Series vehicles are built, designed, and operated in-house by Varda, including payloads, capsules, heat shields, and satellite buses.

The Role

You will design, build, and own sophisticated ground support equipment (GSE) and test systems that qualify spaceflight hardware for orbit. You'll work with propulsion test stands, environmental qualification chambers, spacecraft-level integration testing, and more. Our stack is modern, built in-house: a custom PLC framework and Beckhoff EtherCAT tooling.

Your Responsibilities

  • Design, build, and maintain test systems and GSE for flight hardware qualification and manufacturing operations.
  • Integrate with external hardware including thermal vacuum chambers, ovens, chillers, pressure systems, data acquisition hardware, and precision instrumentation.
  • Develop and extend Varda's internal PLC framework and EtherCAT tooling to support program needs.
  • Contribute to architecture decisions on real-time control: PLC-based (TwinCAT 3) versus Linux-based approaches for high-frequency control.
  • Build cabinets, wire panels, and own systems end-to-end from electrical design through commissioning.
  • Partner with propulsion, avionics, GNC, and manufacturing teams to deliver test infrastructure on aggressive timelines.
  • Champion sustainable engineering practices that help new engineers ramp quickly and maintain production systems reliably.

Required Qualifications

  • Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering or related technical field.
  • 2+ years of industry experience in test automation, controls, and/or industrial automation.
  • Hands-on experience integrating with industrial hardware over EtherCAT, Modbus (TCP/RTU), RS-232/485 serial, or similar communication standards.
  • Experience with at least one modern PLC ecosystem, ideally Beckhoff TwinCAT 3 with structured text (IEC 61131-3), or demonstrated eagerness to develop deep expertise there.
  • Comfort working across the full stack: electrical panel design, cabinet wiring, hardware debugging, and control software development.
  • Proven ability to thrive in a fast-paced startup environment where priorities shift and end-to-end ownership is expected.

Preferred Experience

  • Strong intuition for when to use real-time PLC code versus higher-level Python orchestration.
  • Experience with custom or in-house control frameworks beyond vendor-provided stacks.
  • Advanced EtherCAT expertise: DC sync, ENI configuration, master implementation, or driver-level work.
  • Production experience with TwinCAT 3, structured text, and the IEC 61131-3 language suite.
  • Designing deterministic, hard real-time control loops with sub-millisecond cycle times.
  • Familiarity with time-series data acquisition and visualization tools such as Grafana or InfluxDB.
  • Aerospace experience, particularly spacecraft testing or GSE development.
  • Environmental test experience: TVAC, thermal cycling, vibration testing.
  • Hands-on experience with high-pressure gas or fluid systems.
  • Experience developing propulsion test stands or complex multi-subsystem test infrastructure.
  • Familiarity with spacecraft qualification standards and associated documentation.
  • Experience developing safety-related control systems and evaluating risk reduction solutions.

Compensation and Details

  • Salary range: $119,543 to $152,749 per year.
  • On-site in El Segundo, California.
  • Eligible for stock options and/or long-term cash awards.

US Person Requirement

Varda provides access to export-controlled items. We hire only US persons: U.S. citizens, U.S. lawful permanent residents, or individuals admitted as refugees or granted asylum under 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3).