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Senior Terrestrial Mechanical Design & Test Engineer, Automation Verified today

Varda Space · El Segundo, CA · Production · first seen 2026-10-12
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About Varda

Varda accelerates commercial space infrastructure development, from in-orbit pharmaceutical processing to reliable reentry capsules. Varda builds, designs, and operates W-Series vehicles in-house, including payloads, capsules, C-PICA heat shields, and satellite buses. The company is headquartered in El Segundo, California with offices in Washington, DC and Huntsville, AL.

About This Role

You build bespoke test infrastructure that qualifies spaceflight hardware for orbit. You will design, build, and own sophisticated ground support equipment (GSE) and test systems including propulsion test stands, environmental qualification chambers, and spacecraft-level integration testing. The team uses modern tools including a custom PLC framework and Beckhoff EtherCAT tooling built in-house.

Priorities include:

  • Enable high cadence production enabling equipment as priority number one
  • Integrate mechanical, electrical, fluid, and instrumentation systems into cohesive test platforms
  • Implement solutions from concept through fabrication, assembly, commissioning, and ongoing support
  • Manage both rapid R and D test setups and long-term test infrastructure improvements

Responsibilities

  • Design, build, and maintain test systems and ground support equipment for flight hardware qualification and manufacturing operations, including data acquisition systems, thermal control systems, PLC cabinets, and gas/liquid systems
  • Ensure test infrastructure achieves greater than 99% uptime and predictable performance
  • Act as Responsible Engineer for test infrastructure including centrifuges, TVACs, propulsion test stands, propulsion fill carts, propulsion gas benches, propulsion water flow stands, and torch test stands
  • Build cabinets, wire panels, and own systems end-to-end from electrical design through commissioning
  • Partner with propulsion, avionics, guidance navigation and control, and manufacturing teams to deliver test infrastructure on aggressive timelines
  • Read, deploy, and make minor edits to Varda's internal PLC framework and EtherCAT tooling to support evolving program needs
  • 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 or more years of industry experience in mechanical design or industrial automation
  • Extensive experience using Solidworks, NX CAD, or comparable
  • Experience with electrical wiring for cabinets, PLCs, harnesses, connectors
  • Experience with Altium or comparable electronic schematic design software
  • Hands-on experience working with high-pressure gas or fluid systems
  • Environmental test experience, including TVAC, thermal cycling, and vibration testing
  • Experience developing propulsion test stands or other complex, multi-subsystem test infrastructure
  • 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
  • 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

  • Aerospace experience, particularly in spacecraft testing or GSE development
  • Familiarity with spacecraft qualification standards and associated documentation requirements
  • Experience developing safety-related control systems and evaluating proposed solutions for reducing safety-related risks
  • Programming, either low level firmware or high-level Python

Compensation and Location

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 level, and job performance. You will be eligible for incentives in the form of stock options and/or long-term cash awards.

ITAR Requirements

You must be a U.S. person as defined by ITAR regulations: U.S. citizen, U.S. lawful permanent resident, or protected individual as defined by 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3) (individual admitted to the U.S. as a refugee or granted asylum). Varda participates in E-Verify.