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Senior Terrestrial Automation and Controls Engineer Verified today

Varda Space · El Segundo, CA · Space Systems · first seen 2026-09-30
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About Varda

Varda is accelerating commercial space infrastructure, from in-orbit pharmaceutical processing to reliable reentry capsules. Varda's W-Series vehicles are built, designed, and operated in-house, including pharmaceutical processing payloads, capsules, heat shields, and satellite buses. The company is headquartered in El Segundo, California, with additional offices in Washington, DC and Huntsville, AL.

About This Role

You will build bespoke test infrastructure that qualifies spaceflight hardware for orbit. You design, build, and own sophisticated ground support equipment (GSE) and test systems including propulsion test stands, environmental qualification chambers, and spacecraft-level integration testing. You will work with a modern stack including a custom PLC framework and Beckhoff EtherCAT tooling built in-house, with meaningful impact on architecture decisions and the chance to define standards that will outlast any single program.

Responsibilities

  • Design, build, and maintain test systems and ground support equipment (GSE) for flight hardware qualification and manufacturing operations.
  • Integrate with a wide range of 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 for high-frequency control applications.
  • 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 that meets their needs on aggressive timelines.
  • Champion sustainable engineering practices that enable new engineers to ramp quickly on the tech stack and maintain production systems reliably.

Basic 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 communication 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 there.
  • 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 of problems is expected.

Preferred Skills and Experience

  • Strong intuition for when to use real-time PLC code versus higher-level Python orchestration, and understanding of the tradeoff.
  • Experience working with custom or in-house control frameworks, rather than relying solely on vendor-provided stacks.
  • Advanced EtherCAT expertise, including DC sync, ENI configuration, master implementation, or driver-level work.
  • Production experience with TwinCAT 3, structured text, and the broader 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, InfluxDB, or similar platforms.
  • Aerospace experience, particularly in spacecraft testing or GSE development.
  • Environmental test experience, including TVAC, thermal cycling, and vibration testing.
  • Hands-on experience working with high-pressure gas or fluid systems.
  • Experience developing propulsion test stands or other complex, multi-subsystem test infrastructure.
  • Familiarity with spacecraft qualification standards and associated documentation requirements.
  • Experience developing safety-related control systems and evaluating proposed solutions for reducing safety-related risks.

Compensation and Location

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

Benefits

Regular 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 with FSA and employer-matched HSA options, $120/month wellness reimbursement, 12 weeks of parental leave, 401(k) retirement plan with 6% employer match (immediately vested), substantial incentive equity, $20/pay period cell phone reimbursement, relocation support for new hires if needed, fully stocked kitchen with daily lunch and twice-weekly dinner, company and team-bonding events, and complimentary EV charging.

ITAR Requirements

Employees must be U.S. persons as defined by ITAR regulations. "US person" means: U.S. citizen, U.S. lawful permanent resident, or protected individual as defined by 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3) (i.e., individual admitted to the U.S. as a refugee or granted asylum). Varda participates in the U.S. Department of Homeland Security E-Verify program.