Varda Space Industries · 3 hours ago
Propulsion Development Engineer
El Segundo, CA
Full-time
Onsite
Senior Level
$155K/yr - $175K/yr
5+ years expVarda Space Industries is accelerating the development of commercial space infrastructure. As a Propulsion Development Engineer, you will lead the development of chemical propulsion engines for spacecraft, owning designs from conception to deployment and coordinating with engineering teams to deliver hardware that meets system requirements.
AerospaceManufacturingProduct Design
No H1B
U.S. Citizen Only
Responsibilities
Lead development of chemical propulsion engines
Perform engine sizing analysis and define configuration from a clean sheet
Generate and own project plans, including determining development milestones, critical tasking of team members, and on-time execution
Manage definition of interfaces between propulsion hardware and the vehicle
Develop and execute the verification plan
Act as on-console RE for hazardous testing
Perform design analysis as necessary
Qualification
Required
Bachelor's degree or higher in an applicable technical field, such as Aerospace Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, etc
Minimum 5 years of experience in rocket engine development
Understanding of combustion device design and analysis - at least 1 of the following: Combustion chamber cooling techniques such as regenerative cooling or film cooling, Thermo-structural analysis, Injector configuration selection, sizing, and design
Familiarity with typical propulsion materials and manufacturing techniques
Experience with spacecraft propellants
Willingness and ability to take ownership of problems and drive projects to completion
Ability to adapt and thrive in a dynamic highly technical environment
Preferred
8+ years of experience in rocket engine development
2+ years of experience as an engine lead or combustion devices lead
In-space propulsion experience
Extensive engine development test experience with multiple break-fix cycles
Benefits
Exciting team of professionals at the top of their field working by your side
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)
Company
Varda Space Industries
Varda is building the infrastructure for a thriving orbital economy, from in-orbit pharmaceutical processing to reliable and economical reentry capsules.
51-200 employees
Funding
Current Stage
Growth StageTotal Funding
$328.02MKey Investors
Alumni VenturesCaffeinated CapitalKhosla Ventures
2025-07-10Series C· $187M
2024-12-19Series C
2024-04-05Series B· $90M
Leadership Team
Will Bruey
Chief Executive Officer
Recent News
Business Insider
2025-12-25
2025-12-17
Company data provided by crunchbase