Senior Space Systems Engineer, Flight Safety Verified today

About Varda

Varda accelerates commercial space infrastructure for in-orbit pharmaceutical processing and reliable reentry. We design, build and operate the W-Series vehicles in-house, including processing payloads, reentry capsules, C-PICA heat shields and satellite buses. Headquartered in El Segundo, California, with offices in Washington DC and Huntsville, Alabama.

The Role

You will serve as primary architect for mission safety and reentry compliance, leading the Mission Assurance team. You will develop Flight Safety Analysis and regulatory strategy for FAA Part 450 and Range Safety licensing, bridging complex engineering and regulatory approval. From safety-critical verification during design to live on-console operations, you ensure flight hardware is verified and reentry methodologies are sound.

Responsibilities

• Own technical regulatory strategy, Means of Compliance, and safety cases for FAA launch and reentry authorizations
• Own vehicle-level functional hazard analyses (FHA) and failure mode and effect analyses (FMEA)
• Maintain Expected Casualty and debris risk models to ensure all mission phases meet regulatory safety thresholds
• Establish technical safety limits and mission rules for real-time on-console operations
• Deliver vehicle-level documentation to regulatory organizations for mission reentry licenses and authorizations
• Act as Flight Safety responsible engineer during mission rehearsals and live recovery operations

Basic Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in aerospace, mechanical, electrical, manufacturing, systems engineering or related field
• Minimum 5 years relevant aerospace engineering experience, including mission assurance, flight safety, or senior systems engineering
• Demonstrated experience with FAA Part 450, expected casualty modeling, trajectory dispersion, and/or debris analysis
• Excellent communication skills to influence cross-functional teams and present to executives, customers and regulators
• Strong experience with risk management methodologies and tools (FMEA, FHA, Fault Tree Analysis)
• Experience with integration of interdisciplinary systems in aerospace industry

Preferred Skills

• Demonstrated safety critical mission operations in aviation or space
• Experience navigating FCC Part 25 (Commercial) or Part 5 (Experimental) licensing for satellite and reentry communications
• Lean approach to quality without compromising safety or reliability

Compensation and Work

Salary range: $140,333 to $179,314 per year. On-site in El Segundo, CA. Leveling and base salary determined by job-related skills, education, experience and performance. Eligible for stock options and/or long-term cash awards.

Benefits

Health and Wellness: Flexible PTO 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 parental leave plus supplemental disability for California mothers. Family building, pregnancy, parenting and menopause benefits via Maven Clinic. Sponsored One Medical memberships.

Financial and Retirement: Substantial incentive equity. 401(k) with 6% employer match, immediately vested. $20/pay period cell phone reimbursement. Relocation support for new hires.

Workplace: Fully stocked kitchen with lunch provided daily and dinner twice weekly.