Automation and Controls Software Engineer

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 offices in Washington, DC and Huntsville, AL.

Join Varda, and work to create a bustling in-space ecosystem.

About the Role

As an Automation and Controls Software Engineer at Varda, you will be at the center of one of the most technically demanding challenges in the industry: building the bespoke test infrastructure that qualifies spaceflight hardware for orbit. This is not a role for someone who wants to work inside a well-worn playbook. You will design, build, and own sophisticated ground support equipment (GSE) and test systems — from propulsion test stands to environmental qualification chambers to full spacecraft-level integration testing.

You will work at the intersection of software, electrical, and mechanical domains, collaborating with propulsion, avionics, GNC, and manufacturing teams to deliver infrastructure that meets demanding timelines. Our stack is intentionally modern and software-engineering-focused, including a custom PLC framework and EtherCAT tooling built in-house. We want engineers who are energized — not intimidated — by the opportunity to shape how test automation is done across an entire organization.

This is a high-ownership role on a small, growing team. You will have a meaningful voice in architecture decisions and the chance to define standards that will outlast any single program. If you thrive when the scope is broad, the stakes are real, and the problems are genuinely novel, this is your role.

Responsibilities

• Design, build, and maintain test systems and ground support equipment (GSE) for flight hardware qualification and manufacturing operations.
• Integrate with a wide range of external hardware, including thermal vacuum chambers, ovens, chillers, pressure systems, data acquisition hardware, and precision instrumentation.
• Develop and extend Varda's internal PLC framework and EtherCAT tooling to support evolving program needs.
• Contribute to architecture decisions on real-time control implementation, including evaluation of PLC-based (TwinCAT 3) versus Linux-based approaches for high-frequency control applications.
• 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.
• 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 Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or a related field.
• 2+ years of industry experience in test automation, controls, or industrial automation.
• Strong Python skills, particularly for hardware control or test automation applications.
• 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 a demonstrated eagerness to develop deep expertise there.
• Comfort working across the full stack: writing control software, designing electrical panels, wiring cabinets, and debugging hardware.
• 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 Qualifications

• Experience working with custom or in-house control frameworks, rather than relying solely on vendor-provided stacks.
• Advanced EtherCAT expertise beyond consumer-level usage — including DC sync, ENI configuration, master implementation, or driver-level work.
• Production experience with TwinCAT 3, structured text, and the broader IEC 61131-3 language suite.
• Experience designing deterministic, hard real-time control loops with sub-millisecond cycle times.
• Strong intuition for when to use real-time PLC code versus higher-level Python orchestration, and a clear understanding of the tradeoffs between the two.
• Bare-metal or embedded firmware development experience.
• Experience with Docker and DevOps tooling for test infrastructure deployment and reproducibility.
• Familiarity with time-series data acquisition and visualization tools such as Grafana, InfluxDB, or similar platforms.
• Aerospace experience, particularly in spacecraft testing or GSE development.
• Environmental test experience, including TVAC, thermal cycling, and vibration testing.
• Hands-on experience working with high-pressure gas or fluid systems.
• Experience developing propulsion test stands or other complex, multi-subsystem test infrastructure.
• Familiarity with spacecraft qualification standards and associated documentation requirements.
• Experience developing safety-related control systems and evaluating proposed solutions for reducing safety-related risks.

Compensation & Benefits

• Base salary range: $114,000 – $184,000 per year, commensurate with skills, experience, education, and performance.
• Eligible for incentives in the form of stock options and/or long-term cash awards.
• On-site role in El Segundo, CA.
• Leveling and base salary are determined by job-related skills, education level, experience level, and job performance

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.