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Varda Space Industries · 1 month ago

Lead Automation and Controls Engineer

El Segundo, California, United States

Full-time

Onsite

Senior Level, Lead/Staff

$150K/yr - $180K/yr

5+ years exp

Varda is a company focused on accelerating the development of commercial space infrastructure. The Lead Automation and Controls Engineer will lead the development of custom test infrastructure and engineering solutions for spaceflight hardware, collaborating across multiple engineering disciplines to support spacecraft development and manufacturing operations.

AerospaceManufacturingProduct Design

No H1B

U.S. Citizen Only

Responsibilities

Lead the development of custom test solutions and ground support equipment

Design, build, and maintain high-performance software and hardware systems to qualify and/or test flight hardware

Effectively manage development roadmap(s), budgets, and resources

Balance technical excellence with pragmatic solutions to meet aggressive timelines while maintaining safety and reliability

Develop comprehensive documentation for all custom systems

Mentor engineers and develop technical talent within the team

Qualification

Python programmingPLC programmingTechnical leadershipDockerData acquisitionAerospace experienceCross-functional communicationStakeholder managementMentoring engineersService-oriented culture

Required

BS in Mechanical/Electrical/Computer Engineering or related field

5+ years of industry engineering experience

3+ years of programming in Python for large deployments or test automation

2+ years of experience in PLC programming, controls engineering, or similar hardware engineering experience

Strong technical leadership skills with ability to mentor and develop talent

Demonstrated track record of delivering complex technical projects on aggressive timelines

Ability to balance technical excellence with pragmatic solutions

Experience managing budgets and resources for technical projects

Excellent cross-functional communication and stakeholder management skills

Ability to operate effectively in a fast-paced, rapidly evolving environment

Preferred

Experience with Docker and DevOps automation tools

Demonstrated technical expertise with modern PLC systems (Siemens, Rockwell, Beckhoff)

Experience with data acquisition platforms and visualization solutions (e.g., Grafana, InfluxDB)

Experience developing electromechanical test hardware

Track record of establishing a service-oriented culture

History of implementing standardized processes and documentation systems

Aerospace industry experience, particularly with spacecraft testing

Knowledge of environmental test systems (TVAC, thermal cycling, vibration)

Hands-on experience with high-pressure gas systems and fluid system testing

Background developing propulsion test stands or other complex test infrastructure

Familiarity with spacecraft qualification standards and certification processes

Benefits

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.

Founded in 2021

El Segundo, California, USA

51-200 employees