Varda Space

Senior Mechanisms Engineer - Payloads

El Segundo, California, United States · Senior

No sponsorship$140k-$180kDetected 14 days ago

PythonMATLABFEAAvionicsEMI/EMCLeadershipCommunicationActuatorsFiber Optics

About the role

As a Senior Mechanisms Engineer on Varda's Payload team, you will develop electromechanical flight hardware that operates in orbit, endures hypersonic reentry, and returns to Earth for inspection and iteration. You will own multi-payload missions across both pharmaceutical manufacturing and hypersonic reentry testbed missions-driving hardware from concept through design, analysis, build, test, launch, and recovery.
You'll collaborate closely with internal specialists and external partners, translate high-level mission objectives into system designs and analyses, and perform hands-on integration and testing to deliver hardware that flies in months, not years. This role is ideal for engineers who pair strong mechanical expertise with the breadth to drive cross-functional efforts and the desire to deliver complex hardware on fast development cycles.
As a Senior Mechanisms Engineer on Varda's Payload team, you will develop electromechanical flight hardware that operates in orbit, endures hypersonic reentry, and returns to Earth for inspection and iteration.

Own multi-payload missions from concept through design, integration, launch, reentry, and recovery
Lead the design of mechanisms, structures, thermal/fluid interfaces, and electromechanical assemblies
Independently perform structural, thermal, and fluid analyses (hand calcs, python/matlab models, and FEA as needed)
Build, instrument, and test prototypes and flight hardware
Drive subsystem requirements, ICDs, verification plans, and documentation
Lead mission operations and post-flight teardown
Lead incorporation of lessons learned and continuous improvement
Relocation support for new hires, if needed

4+ years of experience designing, integrating, testing, and troubleshooting electromechanical hardware
Strong mechanical expertise with breadth in at least one adjacent discipline (avionics, software, thermal, optics, test, etc.)

Prior full cycle ownership of space flight hardware
Experience integrating electromechanical actuators, sensors, thermal control hardware and/or fluid control hardware
Experience planning and executing aerospace environmental testing (vibration, TVAC, EMI/EMC)
Customer-facing technical communication experience
Active Secret or Top Secret clearance

Leveling and base salary is determined by job-related skills, education level, experience level, and job performance
$140,000 - $180,000/per year
Substantial incentive equity in a fully funded space start-up
$20/pay period cell phone reimbursement

Flexible PTO policy + 12 paid holidays
100% company-paid Medical, Dental, and Vision insurance plans for employees and dependents with FSA and employer-matched HSA options
$120/month wellness reimbursement for gym and fitness expenses
12 weeks of parental leave (with supplemental disability leave for CA mothers)
Family building, pregnancy, parenting and menopause benefits via Maven Clinic
Sponsored One Medical memberships for employees and their dependents
Substantial incentive equity in a fully funded space start-up
401(k) retirement plan with 6% employer match (immediately vested)
$20/pay period cell phone reimbursement

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.

This listing is sourced directly from Varda Space's careers page and normalized into a canonical job model.