Spacecraft Systems Engineer, Flight Safety Verified today
About Varda
Varda is accelerating commercial space infrastructure development, 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, C-PICA heat shields, and satellite buses.
About This Role
You will join the Mission Assurance team as a Systems Engineer focused on flight safety analysis and reentry compliance. You will produce the Flight Safety Analysis and regulatory strategy required for FAA Part 450 and Range Safety licensing. This role bridges complex engineering trades and regulatory approval, from defining safety-critical verification artifacts during design to 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 the 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 documentation 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 with ability 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
- Demonstrated safety-critical mission operations in aviation or space applications
- Proven experience navigating the FCC Part 25 (Commercial) or Part 5 (Experimental) licensing process 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
- Base salary determined by job-related skills, education level, experience level, and job performance
- Eligible for incentives in the form of stock options and/or long-term cash awards
- On-site in El Segundo, California
Benefits
- Flexible PTO policy plus 12 paid holidays
- 100% company-paid Medical, Dental, and Vision insurance plans 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 expenses
- 12 weeks 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
- Substantial incentive equity in Varda
- 401(k) retirement plan with 6% employer match, immediately vested
- $20 per pay period cell phone reimbursement
- Relocation support for new hires if needed
- Fully stocked kitchen with lunch provided daily and dinner provided twice weekly