Senior Space Mission Operations Engineer Verified today
About Varda
Varda is building commercial space infrastructure for in-orbit pharmaceutical processing and reliable reentry capsules. We design, build, and operate W-Series vehicles in-house, including processing payloads, capsules, heat shields, and satellite buses. Headquartered in El Segundo with offices in Washington, DC and Huntsville, AL.
About This Role
The Senior Mission Operations Engineer is an experienced spacecraft operator who will own end-to-end on-orbit operations for our Winnie Spaceship. You will be an exceptional communicator and leader capable of applying cross-discipline engineering to bespoke mission solutions in a startup environment.
Responsibilities
- Develop, coordinate, execute, and lead Varda's on-orbit missions
- Own the full ops development cycle for mission-unique payloads, from mission profiles through execution
- Work across teams to continuously improve mission operations and ensure mission success
- Automate and eliminate operational burden by building webtools
- Scale up Varda's operational capabilities to support growing flight cadence
Basic Qualifications
- Bachelor's degree in an engineering discipline, preferably Aerospace, Electrical, or Computer Science
- 5+ years of experience in a real-time operations role on a complex, high-consequence operation
- 3+ years of experience developing software tools in Python, JavaScript, and/or HTML
- Familiarity with Avionics, GNC, Software, and Thermal design practices for spacecraft
Preferred Skills and Experience
- 5+ years of experience with spacecraft systems
- Previous operator experience in a leadership role
- Previous in-orbit spacecraft operations experience
- Previous experience with Git and Atlassian products
- Familiarity with ground stations networks
Compensation and Work Location
Salary range: $140,333 to $179,314 per year, based on job-related skills, education, experience, and performance. You will be eligible for stock options and/or long-term cash awards. This role is on-site in El Segundo, California.
Benefits
Full-time employees receive comprehensive benefits including flexible PTO plus 12 paid holidays, 100% company-paid Medical, Dental, and Vision insurance for employees and dependents, $120/month wellness reimbursement, 12 weeks of parental leave, 401(k) with 6% employer match (immediately vested), stock options, daily lunch and twice-weekly dinner, and complimentary EV charging.
ITAR Requirement
This role requires access to export-controlled items. We hire only U.S. persons: U.S. citizens, U.S. lawful permanent residents, or individuals admitted as refugees or granted asylum.