Space Systems Engineer, Flight Safety Verified today
About Varda
Varda is accelerating commercial space infrastructure development, building in-orbit pharmaceutical processing systems and reliable reentry capsules. The W-Series vehicles are designed, built, and operated entirely in-house, including pharmaceutical payloads, capsules, C-PICA heat shields, and satellite buses. Varda is headquartered in El Segundo, California with offices in Washington, DC and Huntsville, AL.
About this Role
You will join the Mission Assurance team as a Systems Engineer focused on flight safety analysis and reentry compliance. This highly cross-functional role bridges complex engineering trades and regulatory approval, from defining safety-critical verification artifacts during design through supporting live on-console operations.
Responsibilities
- Perform flight safety analyses for each mission, with focus on failure mode trajectory modeling and debris field containment
- Execute technical regulatory strategy, Methods of Compliance, and safety cases for FAA launch and reentry authorizations
- Complete vehicle-level functional hazard analyses (FHA) and failure mode and effect analyses (FMEA)
- Act as the Flight Safety responsible engineer during mission rehearsals and live recovery operations
- Establish technical safety limits and mission rules for real-time on-console operations
- Deliver vehicle-level documents to regulatory organizations in support of mission reentry licenses and authorizations
Basic Qualifications
- Bachelor's degree in aerospace, mechanical, electrical, manufacturing, systems engineering or related field
- Demonstrated ownership and execution of a complex engineering project, cradle-to-grave
- Excellent communication skills, able 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 the aerospace industry
Preferred Skills and Experience
- Demonstrated experience with FAA Part 450, expected casualty modeling, trajectory dispersion, and/or debris analysis
- Safety critical mission operations experience in aviation or space applications
- Proven experience navigating FCC Part 25 (Commercial) or Part 5 (Experimental) licensing for satellite and reentry communications
- Dedicated to adopting a lean approach to quality without compromising safety or reliability
Compensation and Location
Salary range:
- Engineer I: $105,000 to $139,466 per year
- Engineer II: $119,543 to $152,749 per year
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.
This role is on-site in El Segundo, CA.
Benefits
Health and Wellness
- Flexible PTO policy 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 per month wellness reimbursement for gym and fitness
- 12 weeks of parental leave with supplemental disability leave for California mothers
- Family building, pregnancy, parenting and menopause benefits via Maven Clinic
- Sponsored One Medical memberships for employees and dependents
Financial and Retirement
- Substantial incentive equity in a fully funded space start-up
- 401(k) retirement plan with 6% employer match, immediately vested
- $20 per pay period cell phone reimbursement
- Relocation support for new hires, if needed
Workplace Experience and Perks
- Fully stocked kitchen with lunch provided daily and dinner provided twice weekly