Applications Engineer - Engineering El Segundo, California, United States

Varda Space Industries, Inc.; El Segundo (CA); On-site; USD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Stock options

Relocation support

Company-paid health insurance

401(k) with match

Parental leave

Job summary

Varda Space Industries, Inc. is seeking an Engineering Applications Engineer to join our El Segundo headquarters.

You will lead efforts to develop, deploy, improve, and manage all Engineering applications across PLM, CAD/PDM, MBSE, and related tools, coordinating with multiple engineering teams to ensure scalable, compliant workflows from concept to production. You will build internal applications and ETL pipelines, design Power BI dashboards, and develop AI-powered tooling to streamline

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Information Systems, Engineering, or related field.
• 3+ years of experience supporting or managing enterprise engineering applications (PLM, CAD/PDM, MBSE, or engineering change management tools).
• Demonstrated experience building reports and dashboards in a BI platform (Power BI, Tableau, or equivalent).
• Comfortable gathering requirements directly from end users and iterating prototypes to production.

Responsibilities

• Own the engineering systems stack (PLM, CAD/PDM, MBSE, change management).
• Map and re-engineer engineering workflows to eliminate manual handoffs and improve data capture at the source.
• Build internal applications (low-code and custom-built) and ETL pipelines that connect engineering tools into the broader enterprise data layer.
• Design analytics dashboards and reports in Power BI, SQL, and Python to surface decisions for engineering and manufacturing leaders.
• Build, pilot, and deploy AI-powered tools, including LLM-based agents and generative tooling to streamline engineering workflows.
• Support AS9100 and CMMC compliance documentation, and partner with IT/Infosec on access and audit readiness.
• Lead training and enablement that drives adoption and reduces shadow IT across engineering.

Skills

Power BI

SQL

Python

BI dashboards

End-user requirements

Education

Bachelor's degree in CS/IS/Engineering

Tools

PLM

CAD/PDM

MBSE

Teamcenter/Windchill/Arena

SolidWorks PDM/Vault

ETL tools (Alteryx, dbt, SSIS, Informatica)

Cloud data platforms (Snowflake, Databricks, AWS Redshift)

Job description

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.Varda’s W-Series vehicles are built, designed, and operated by Varda in-house, including the pharmaceutical processing payloads, the capsules, the C-PICA heat shields, and the satellite buses.

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 This Role

Varda is seeking an Engineering Applications Engineer to join our team. In this role, you will be responsible for leading efforts to develop, deploy, improve, and manage all Engineering applications. You will manage the implementation of these solutions through the entire product life cycle from opportunity identification to support and sustainment. You will work cross-functionally with multiple engineering teams across Varda to ensure tools are integrated, compliant, and scaled to support hardware and software development workflows. Projects will include a wide range of desired outcomes, including cycle time reduction, cost reduction, improved decision-making, risk reduction, configuration control, and other key operational efficiencies. Your contributions will immediately impact engineering operations and have an opportunity to contribute to Varda's overall growth and success. This role will report to the Director of Enterprise Applications.

This is a full-time, exempt position located in our El Segundo headquarters.

Responsibilities

• Own the engineering systems stack (PLM, CAD/PDM, MBSE, change management), including daily admin, data integrity, configuration control, vendor escalations, and release cycles.
• Map and re-engineer engineering workflows to eliminate manual handoffs and improve data capture at the source.
• Build internal applications (low-code and custom-built) and ETL pipelines that connect engineering tools into the broader enterprise data layer.
• Design analytics dashboards and reports in Power BI, SQL, and Python to surface decisions for engineering and manufacturing leaders.
• Build, pilot, and deploy AI-powered tools, including LLM-based agents and generative tooling to streamline engineering workflows.
• Support AS9100 and CMMC compliance documentation, and partner with IT/Infosec on access and audit readiness.
• Lead training and enablement that drives adoption and reduces shadow IT across engineering.

Basic Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Information Systems, Engineering, or a related technical field.
• 3+ years of experience supporting or managing enterprise engineering applications (PLM, CAD/PDM, MBSE, or engineering change management tools).
• Demonstrated experience building reports and dashboards in a BI platform (Power BI, Tableau, or equivalent).
• Comfortable gathering requirements directly from end users and iterating prototypes to production.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills with the ability to produce system design documentation, SOPs, and training materials for non-technical engineering stakeholders.

Preferred Skills and Qualifications

• Direct experience administering PLM platforms (Teamcenter, Windchill, Arena) or CAD data management systems (SolidWorks PDM, Vault).
• Familiarity with engineering data domains (BOM structures, CAD metadata, change order workflows) and aerospace engineering data standards.
• Experience with MBSE toolchains (CAMEO, Capella) and engineering change management workflows.
• Experience with AS9100 and/or CMMC compliance documentation and audit support.
• Hands-on experience with ETL tools (Alteryx, dbt, SSIS, or Informatica) and cloud data platforms (Snowflake, Databricks, AWS Redshift).
• Track record of building workflow automation or custom tooling with quantifiable outcomes such as hours saved, error reduction, or user adoption metrics.
• Information Technology Infrastructure Library (ITIL), Project Management Professional (PMP), or Lean Six Sigma certification.

Pay Range

• E1: $110,000 - $140,000 per year (1-1.5 years of exp)
• E2: $120,000 - $153,000 per year (1-3 years of exp)
• Sr. Engineer: $140,000 - 180,000 per year (3-6 years of exp)
• This role is on-site in El Segundo, CA
• Leveling and base salary are determined by job-related skills, education level, experience level, and job performance
• You will be eligible for incentives in the form of stock options and/or long-term cash awards

Varda offers a comprehensive benefits package designed to support health, financial well‑being, and a high-quality workplace experience. Below is an overview of what full‑time employees receive(at this time, interns receive a subset of benefits):

• 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
• Voluntaryaccident, hospital, critical illness,andpet insurance
• $120/month wellness reimbursement for gym and fitness expenses
• 12weeks ofparental leave(with supplemental disability leavefor CAmothers)
• SponsoredOne Medicalmemberships for employees and their dependents
• Substantial incentive equityin a fully funded space start-up
• 401(k) retirement plan with 6% employer match (immediately vested)
• $20/pay period cell phone reimbursement
• Relocation supportfor new hires, if needed

Workplace Experience & Perks

• Fully stocked kitchen with lunch provided daily and dinner provided twice weekly
• Company and team-bonding events, happyhoursand mission-success celebrations
• Complimentary EV charging

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. Because our employees are provided access to export-controlled items, our 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).

E-Verify Statement

Varda Space Industries, Inc. participates in the U.S. Department of Homeland Security E-Verify program. The E-Verify program is an Internet-based employment eligibility verification system operated by the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Learn more about theE-Verify program.

Varda Space Industries is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees. Candidates and employees are always evaluated based on merit, qualifications, and performance. We will never discriminate on the basis of race, color, gender, national origin, ethnicity, veteran status, disability status, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, martial status, mental or physical disability, or any other legally protected status.

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As set forth in Varda Space Industries’s Equal Employment Opportunity policy,we do not discriminate on the basis of any protected group status under any applicable law.

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