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Vehicle Systems, Integration, & Test Engineer Verified today

Varda Space · El Segundo, CA · Production · first seen 2026-07-16
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About Varda

Varda is accelerating commercial space infrastructure development, from in-orbit pharmaceutical processing to reliable reentry capsules. Varda's W-Series vehicles are built, designed, and operated in-house, including pharmaceutical processing payloads, capsules, C-PICA heat shields, and satellite buses. Headquarters in El Segundo, California with production facilities, plus offices in Washington, DC and Huntsville, AL.

About This Role

As a Vehicle Systems, Integration, and Test Engineer, you will have broad role scope owning vehicle systems, integration, and test. You are responsible for the vehicle and ensuring all systems are ready for launch and operations. This requires knowledge of system design, manufacturing, test, and operations. You will interface with all engineering departments and drive conflicting requirements to implemented solutions.

Responsibilities

  • Develop and own the vehicle integration and test campaign to validate and verify vehicle flight readiness
  • Own vehicle technical and programmatic decisions to ensure vehicle success
  • Create, maintain, and execute build and test procedures
  • Create and maintain build schedules to drive delivery of flight components, ground support equipment, and software readiness
  • Maintain vehicle system budgets (power, mass, telemetry, etc) and ensure the tools output relevant information for all teams
  • Evaluate vehicle change impacts and drive execution of change implementation
  • Own avionics systems, schematics, and harness design
  • Operate vehicles in space

Basic Qualifications

  • B.S. degree in engineering, physics, or related field and 1 or more years of experience (internships and projects included) in systems, integration, and/or test
  • Teamwork, communication, and problem solving in a collaborative environment
  • Strong first principles thinking and technical breadth across relevant fields (electrical, mechanical, software, etc.)
  • Hands-on experience building aerospace vehicles
  • Must be physically able to regularly lift 25 lbs and be comfortable bending, stooping, and standing

Preferred Skills and Experience

  • Working knowledge of aerospace vehicle subsystems
  • Experience with project management of the full lifecycle of a project
  • Capability to solve complex problems autonomously as an individual or as a member of an integrated team
  • Experience with one or more general-purpose programming languages, such as C++ and Python
  • Experience with aerospace hardware development practices (qualification testing practices, design for typical space environments, cleanliness, etc.)
  • Prior work in a technical leadership role for a launch vehicle or satellite development effort
  • Experience supporting flight test or flying spacecraft
  • Experience in propulsion systems, integration, and/or test
  • Experience in a production environment
  • Wiring schematic, harness design, and harness manufacturing experience
  • Unigraphics NX experience or similar CAD software

Compensation and Location

  • Engineer I: $109,148 to $157,658 per year
  • Engineer II: $119,543 to $172,673 per year
  • Stock options and/or long-term cash awards
  • On-site in El Segundo, CA
  • Leveling and base salary determined by job-related skills, education level, experience level, and job performance

ITAR Requirements

Employees must be lawfully authorized to work in the U.S. and have access to export-controlled items. Varda only hires U.S. persons permitted to have access to the technology without an export license. U.S. person means: U.S. citizen, U.S. lawful permanent resident, or protected individual as defined by 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3) (individual admitted to the U.S. as a refugee or granted asylum).