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Payload Systems Integration & Test Engineer II Verified today

Varda Space · El Segundo, CA · Payload · first seen 2026-09-16
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About Varda

Varda is accelerating commercial space infrastructure development. The company designs, builds and operates W-Series vehicles in-house, including pharmaceutical processing payloads, reentry capsules, C-PICA heat shields, and satellite buses. Varda is headquartered in El Segundo, California with a production facility, and offices in Washington, DC and Huntsville, AL.

The Role

As a Payload Systems Integration & Test Engineer II, you will own end-to-end mission success for assigned payloads. This includes both internally designed payloads and hosted customer payloads such as inertial, RF, or optical sensors, communication systems, pharmaceutical processing equipment and instrumentation.

You will serve as the technical bridge between each payload and the Varda vehicle. You will define interfaces, plan and execute integration and test campaigns, coordinate in-orbit operations, and ensure safe recovery of payload data and hardware. When payloads require special accommodations or vehicle modifications, you will work across the vehicle engineering team to scope and implement changes.

Responsibilities

  • Act as responsible engineer for assigned payloads from initial scoping through post-flight data delivery, for both in-house pharma payloads and hosted customer payloads
  • Work with payload providers to understand mission objectives, derive detailed requirements, and capture detailed interfaces in formal ICDs
  • Work collaboratively across engineering disciplines to scope and implement special accommodations and payload-specific vehicle changes
  • Serve as the primary technical point of contact for external payload customers throughout the mission lifecycle
  • Plan and execute payload-level integration and test activities, including incoming inspection, functional checkouts, and environmental testing (vibration, EMI/EMC, TVAC), plus payload-specific verifications such as leak testing or pharmaceutical process testing
  • Identify, document, troubleshoot, and resolve technical issues that arise during integration and test activities
  • Work with mission operations engineers to define payload flight operations, command sequences, and operations procedures, and support on-console operations as needed

Basic Qualifications

  • Bachelor's degree in Mechanical, Aerospace, Electrical, Chemical, Systems Engineering, or other relevant field
  • 2+ years of experience integrating and testing spacecraft, payloads, or comparably complex electro-mechanical hardware
  • Experience owning a hardware element through an integration and test campaign
  • Demonstrated ability to carry multiple hardware efforts concurrently against fixed schedule milestones
  • First-principles problem solving and broad system-level thinking
  • Strong written and verbal communication skills
  • Comfortable working hands-on in a cleanroom with critical flight hardware
  • Must be physically able to regularly lift 25 lbs
  • Must be comfortable bending, stooping, and standing while working directly with hardware on the floor

Preferred Qualifications

  • Experience integrating hosted or customer-furnished payloads onto a spacecraft or launch vehicle
  • Experience developing and managing interface control documents, requirements, and verification/validation plans
  • Hands-on experience with aerospace environmental testing (vibration, TVAC, EMI/EMC) and associated test standards (e.g., GSFC-STD-7000 and SMC-S-016)
  • Exposure to pharmaceutical, biomedical, or other regulated-industry hardware and quality practices

Compensation

  • Salary range: $119,543 - $172,673 per year
  • Eligible for stock options and/or long-term cash awards

Requirements

This role is on-site in El Segundo, CA. You must be a U.S. person (U.S. citizen, U.S. lawful permanent resident, or individual admitted to the U.S. as a refugee or granted asylum) due to access to export-controlled items.