Senior Automation and Controls Engineer Verified today

About Varda

Varda is building commercial space infrastructure for in-orbit pharmaceutical processing and reentry capsules. The company designs, builds, and operates W-Series vehicles in-house, including processing payloads, capsules, heat shields, and satellite buses. Headquartered in El Segundo, California, with offices in Washington, DC and Huntsville, Alabama.

The Role

As Senior Automation and Controls Engineer, you will build bespoke test infrastructure that qualifies spaceflight hardware for orbit. You'll design, build, and own sophisticated ground support equipment and test systems, including propulsion test stands, environmental qualification chambers, and spacecraft-level integration testing. The tech stack includes a custom PLC framework and Beckhoff EtherCAT tooling built in-house. You will influence architecture decisions and define standards for future programs.

Responsibilities

• Design, build, and maintain test systems and ground support equipment for flight hardware qualification and manufacturing operations
• Integrate 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 evolving program needs
• Contribute to architecture decisions on real-time control implementation, including evaluation of PLC-based (TwinCAT 3) versus Linux-based approaches
• 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 enable new engineers to ramp quickly and maintain production systems reliably

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering or related technical field
• 5+ years of industry experience in test automation, controls, and/or industrial automation
• Hands-on experience integrating with industrial hardware over protocols such as EtherCAT, Modbus (TCP/RTU), RS-232/485 serial, or similar 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
• Comfort working across the full stack: designing electrical panels, wiring cabinets, debugging hardware, and writing control software
• Proven ability to thrive in a fast-paced startup environment where priorities shift and end-to-end ownership is expected

Preferred Skills and Experience

• Strong intuition for when to use real-time PLC code versus higher-level Python orchestration
• Experience working with custom or in-house control frameworks
• Advanced EtherCAT expertise including DC sync, ENI configuration, master implementation, or driver-level work
• Production experience with TwinCAT 3, structured text, and IEC 61131-3 language suite
• Experience 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 in spacecraft testing or GSE development
• Environmental test experience including TVAC, thermal cycling, and 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 documentation requirements
• Experience developing safety-related control systems and evaluating solutions for reducing safety-related risks

Compensation and Benefits

Salary range: $140,333 to $179,314 per year. This role is onsite in El Segundo, California. Leveling and base salary are determined by job-related skills, education level, experience, and job performance. You will be eligible for stock options and/or long-term cash awards.

Full-Time Benefits:

• Flexible PTO policy plus 12 paid holidays
• 100% company-paid Medical, Dental, and Vision insurance for employees and dependents, with FSA and employer-matched HSA options
• Voluntary accident, hospital, critical illness, and pet insurance
• $120/month wellness reimbursement for gym and fitness
• 12 weeks of parental leave with supplemental disability leave for California mothers
• Family building, pregnancy, parenting and menopause benefits via Maven Clinic
• Sponsored One Medical memberships for employees and dependents
• 401(k) retirement plan with 6% employer match, immediately vested
• Substantial incentive equity in a fully funded space startup