Varda Space

Thermal Hardware and Test Engineer II

El Segundo, California, United States · Mid

Work authorization required$120k-$153kDetected 20 days ago

MATLABProject ManagementRecruitingANSYSThermal AnalysisMechanical DesignHardware DesignControlsLeadershipCommunicationActuatorsFiber Optics

About the role

This is a hands-on role, spanning mechanical, electrical, fluid, and control disciplines with opportunities to innovate at every stage: concept, fabrication, instrumentation, and commissioning.
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 expanding the capability of in-orbit manufacturing to serve life-changing products to patients sounds intriguing, this role is for you.

Drive end-to-end development of thermal hardware and test infrastructure: concept, design, fabrication, integration, validation, and maintenance
Develop active and passive thermal control systems with thermal analysis engineers for payload and vehicle thermal control
Evaluate the impact of hardware design decisions on packaging, thermal, environmental, and loads to ensure the best system-level solution
Architect and assemble fluid, thermal, mechanical, and electrical designs, 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
Apply first-principles thinking to diagnose issues, resolve anomalies, and optimize equipment reliability to >99% uptime
Relocation support for new hires, if needed

B.S. in Mechanical Engineering, or a related discipline, with consideration given to equivalent professional experience (typically 1-3+ years)
3+ years of experience and knowledge applying engineering principles to thermal design, test, and fabrication in a manufacturing environment
Proficiency in detailed thermal analysis in Thermal Desktop, SINDA/FLUINT
Experience anchoring thermal models to test and/or flight data
Experience in planning and executing Thermal Vacuum Chamber (TVac) testing
Experience in MATLAB (or equivalent) for data processing and task automation
Familiarity with thermal margins and qualification test requirements in SMC-S-016

basic machining, welding, or rapid prototyping.
Proven track record of formal project management and delivering results in a fast-paced environment.
Experience in thermal analysis tools: Thermal Desktop, ANSYS

Salary Range: Eng II: $119,543- $152,749/per year
This role is on-site in El Segundo, CA
Leveling and base salary is determined by job-related skills, education level, experience level, and job performance
Voluntary accident, hospital, critical illness, and pet insurance
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.