Varda Space Industries is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees. Candidates and employees are always evaluated based on merit, qualifications, and performance. We will never discriminate on the basis of race, color, gender, national origin, ethnicity, veteran status, disability status, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, martial status, mental or physical disability, or any other legally protected status.
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Senior Test Engineer, Terrestrial
El Segundo, California, United States
About Varda
Low Earth orbit is open for business. Varda is accelerating the development of commercial space infrastructure, from in-orbit pharmaceutical processing to reliable and economical reentry capsules.
From life-saving pharmaceuticals to more powerful fiber optics, there is a world of products used on Earth today that can only be manufactured in space. Varda is accelerating innovation in the orbital economy by creating both the products and infrastructure needed so space can directly benefit life on Earth. Our mission is to expand the economic bounds of humankind.
Our team is uniquely suited to accomplishing this goal, with leadership and staff comprised of veterans from SpaceX, Blue Origin, major pharmaceutical companies and Silicon Valley. Varda was founded in January 2021 by Will Bruey and Delian Asparouhov with significant backing from world class investors including Khosla Ventures, Lux Capital, Founders Fund, Caffeinated Capital, General Catalyst, and Also Capital.
Varda is headquartered in El Segundo, California, where we have offices and a production facility where our vehicles, equipment, and materials are built, integrated, and tested. Varda also has an office in Washington, D.C.
Join Varda, and work to create a bustling in-space ecosystem.
About this Role
As a Senior Test Engineer at Varda, you will have the autonomy and creative freedom to design, build, and maintain test platforms that push the boundaries of our spaceflight hardware. This is a deeply hands-on role cutting across mechanical, electrical, fluid, and control disciplines, offering opportunities to innovate at every stage—from concept, fabrication, and instrumentation, through data acquisition and commissioning. By ensuring our teams can run precise, low-friction tests, you will play a direct and pivotal role in advancing Varda’s mission.
We are a fast-moving startup that embraces complexity and bold ideas, giving you the freedom to experiment and iterate quickly. Successful candidates thrive on solving hard problems, adapting to dynamic requirements, and collaborating across multiple domains. In return, you will gain significant ownership, see your contributions rapidly come to life, and help us uphold the highest standards of performance, reliability, and safety in our hardware. If you enjoy both autonomy and responsibility, and want to shape the future of spaceflight in an environment that rewards creativity, this role is for you.
Key Responsibilities
- Drive end-to-end development of test infrastructure: concept, design, fabrication, integration, validation, and maintenance.
- Architect and assemble fluid, thermal, mechanical, and electrical test rigs and fixtures that support a broad range of development activities.
- Implement instrumentation and data acquisition (DAQ) solutions, integrating sensors, transducers, actuators, PLCs, and embedded controllers.
- Collaborate with multidisciplinary teams (mechanical, avionics, propulsion, software) to translate test requirements into robust, user-friendly test systems.
- Ensure test stands are well-documented, easily maintainable, and primed for quick iteration and upgrades.
- Apply first-principles thinking to diagnose issues, resolve anomalies, and optimize equipment reliability to >99% uptime.
- Contribute to safety reviews, risk assessments, and continuous improvements to deliver efficient, reliable, and repeatable test environments.
Basic Qualifications:
- B.S. in Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or a related technical field.
- 3+ years of hands-on experience designing and supporting test equipment or R&D infrastructure (e.g., mechanical fixtures, fluid loops, or electrical test stands).
- Proficiency with CAD tools (NX or SolidWorks) and basic mechanical design principles (structural integrity, component selection, tolerance analysis).
- Familiarity with P&ID diagrams, pressure regulators, valves, transducers, and a range of instrumentation sensors (load cells, RTDs, thermocouples, accelerometers).
- Experience with basic electrical wiring, harnessing, and instrumentation techniques, including reading schematics and implementing signal conditioning.
- Strong troubleshooting skills, with the ability to use tools like multimeters, oscilloscopes, and data loggers to isolate and fix problems.
- A proactive, ownership-driven mindset and the ability to adapt quickly as test requirements evolve.
- Demonstrated ability to coordinate, mentor, and collaborate with a small engineering team (e.g., 2–5 members).
- U.S. citizenship or lawful permanent residency to comply with ITAR regulations.
Preferred Qualifications:
- Experience deploying automated test solutions including PLC programming or embedded controllers.
- Hands-on fabrication skills: basic machining, welding, or rapid prototyping.
- Experience with environmental testing conditions (thermal cycling, TVAC, vibration) and the relevant fixtures and procedures.
- Familiarity with test data management, logging solutions, and scripting languages (Python or similar) for test automation and data analysis.
- Direct experience in an aerospace R&D or hardware test environment.
- Proven track record of formal project management and leading cross-functional engineering teams of 10–12 members, orchestrating scope, schedules, and resources while remaining hands-on with technical oversight.
Compensation:
- Senior Test Engineer: $110,000 - $140,000
- Leveling and base salary is determined by job-related skills, education level, experience level, and job performance
- You will be eligible for long-term incentives in the form of stock options and/or long-term cash awards
ITAR Requirements
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Varda, like all employers, must ensure that its employees working in the United States are lawfully authorized to work in the U.S. Additionally, our employees are exposed to and have access to certain export-controlled items. At present, some of our technology to which employees have access requires a license to be exported to individuals other than “U.S. Persons” as defined in U.S. export regulations. Because our employees are provided access to export-controlled items, our current policy is to only hire “U.S. persons” who are permitted to have access to our 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 in the U.S.)
Learn more about the ITAR here.
Benefits
- Exciting team of professionals at the top of their field working by your side
- Working in El Segundo, CA - an awesome Southern California beach city with quick access to entertainment and outdoor activities
- Equity in a fully funded space startup with potential for significant growth (interns excluded)
- 401(k) matching (interns excluded)
- Unlimited PTO (interns excluded)
- Health insurance, including Vision and Dental
- Lunch and snacks provided on site every day. Dinners provided twice a week.
- Maternity / Paternity leave (interns excluded)
Varda Space Industries is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees. Candidates and employees are always evaluated based on merit, qualifications, and performance. We will never discriminate on the basis of race, color, gender, national origin, ethnicity, veteran status, disability status, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, martial status, mental or physical disability, or any other legally protected status.
E-Verify Statement
Varda Space Industries, Inc. participates in the U.S. Department of Homeland Security E-Verify program. The E-Verify program is an Internet-based employment eligibility verification system operated by the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Learn more about the E-Verify program.
E-Verify Notice Right To Work Notice
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