Terrestrial Mechanical Design & Test Engineer II, Automation Verified today

About Varda

Varda accelerates the development of commercial space infrastructure for in-orbit pharmaceutical processing and 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. The company is headquartered in El Segundo, California, with offices in Washington, DC and Huntsville, AL.

The Role

The Terrestrial Mechanical Design and Test Engineer II builds 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 tech stack is modern, built in-house with custom PLC framework and Beckhoff EtherCAT tooling.

Your priorities are high cadence and production-enabling equipment. You integrate mechanical, electrical, fluid, and instrumentation systems into cohesive test platforms, moving solutions from concept through fabrication, assembly, commissioning, and ongoing support. You manage both rapid R&D test setups and long-term infrastructure improvements.

Responsibilities

• Design, build, and maintain test systems and ground support equipment for flight hardware qualification and manufacturing operations, including data acquisition systems (Pelican DAQ, load cell DAQ, accelerometer DAQ, propulsion test stands, fill carts), thermal control systems (chillers, heaters, liquid nitrogen), PLC cabinets, and gas/liquid systems (valves, transducers, solenoids, flowmeters)
• Achieve greater than 99% uptime and predictable performance in test infrastructure
• Serve 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, GNC, and manufacturing teams to deliver test infrastructure that meets their needs 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 with thorough documentation, clear procedures, and schematics

Basic Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering or related technical field
• 3+ 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, etc.
• 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 there
• Proven ability to thrive in a fast-paced startup environment where priorities shift and end-to-end ownership of problems is expected

Preferred Skills

• 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 in low-level firmware or high-level Python

Compensation and Location

Salary range: $119,543 to $152,749 per year. This role is on-site in El Segundo, CA. 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.

US Person Requirement

Varda must ensure that employees working in the United States are lawfully authorized to work in the U.S. Because employees have access to export-controlled items, Varda hires only US persons permitted to have access to the technology without an export license. 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).