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Senior Fluid Systems Engineer - Payloads Verified today

Varda Space · El Segundo, CA · Propulsion · first seen 2026-09-17
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About Varda

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

About this Role

As a Senior Fluid Systems Engineer on Varda's Payload team, you will develop first-of-a-kind electromechanical fluid-handling hardware that manufactures pharmaceuticals in microgravity, endures hypersonic reentry, and returns to Earth. Your payloads will precisely meter, mix, filter, transport, and thermally control pharmaceutical materials in compact spacecraft-compatible hardware.

You'll be responsible for the full payload lifecycle: concept, design, analysis, build, test, launch, on-orbit operation, recovery, post-flight inspection, and iteration for future missions. You will collaborate closely with pharmaceutical scientists and process engineers to translate mission objectives into qualified hardware that flies in months, not years.

Responsibilities

  • Own pharmaceutical manufacturing payloads from concept through design, integration, launch, in-orbit operation, reentry, and recovery
  • Lead design of precision fluid systems including valves, pumps, pistons, manifolds, tubing, fittings, seals, filters, sensors, and thermal-control systems
  • Independently perform fluid, thermal, structural, and mechanism analyses using hand calculations, Python, MATLAB models, and FEA
  • Build, instrument, and test prototypes and flight hardware to characterize flow rate, mixing, filtration, sealing, leak rate, pressure drop, thermal stability, contamination sensitivity, and reliability
  • Integrate cross-functional inputs from business development, pharmaceutical science, and spacecraft subsystem teams into payload requirements
  • Develop subsystem requirements, ICDs, verification plans, test reports, and recovery procedures
  • Lead continuous improvement and incorporation of lessons learned
  • Mentor entry-level engineers and interns

Basic Qualifications

  • BS or BEng in Mechanical, Aerospace, Mechatronics, Biomedical, Chemical, or related engineering discipline
  • 4+ years experience designing, integrating, testing, and troubleshooting electromechanical hardware
  • Strong mechanical and fluid systems expertise with breadth in at least one adjacent discipline: avionics, software, thermal, optics, test, or precision instrumentation
  • Experience delivering hardware for rigorous environments: aerospace, defense, semiconductor manufacturing, or biotech manufacturing
  • Experience with valves, pumps, pistons, tubing, manifolds, fittings, seals, filters, sensors, metering hardware, thermal-control hardware, and compact fluidic assemblies
  • Ability to independently define tasks, manage schedules, and deliver integrated hardware
  • Excellent cross-disciplinary communication skills

Preferred Qualifications

  • Prior full-cycle ownership of precision fluid-handling hardware for relevant applications in space (ECLSS, low-thrust propulsion, astronaut suits, spacecraft thermal control) or on Earth (semiconductor process equipment, biotech process equipment, analytical instruments, medical devices)
  • Experience with P&IDs, fluid schematics, component sizing, pressure-drop analysis, leak testing, flow characterization, 0D/1D fluid/thermal modeling, or design of experiments for process hardware
  • Experience with compact systems that control small volumes of liquids or gases under thermal, cleanliness, pressure, sterility, or contamination constraints
  • Experience planning and executing aerospace environmental testing (vibration, TVAC, EMI/EMC)
  • Familiarity with microgravity fluid behavior, capillary-driven flows, gas/liquid separation, two-phase flow, cGMP principles, cleanroom practices, or regulated hardware environments

Compensation

  • Salary range: $140,333 to $179,314 per year
  • Leveling and base salary determined by job-related skills, education level, experience level, and job performance
  • Eligible for stock options and/or long-term cash awards
  • 100% company-paid Medical, Dental, and Vision insurance for employees and dependents
  • 401(k) retirement plan with 6% employer match, immediately vested
  • Flexible PTO policy plus 12 paid holidays
  • $120 per month wellness reimbursement
  • 12 weeks parental leave

Workplace

This role is on-site in El Segundo, California.