Automation and Controls Engineer II

Varda Space Industries, Inc.; El Segundo (CA); On-site; USD 110,000 - 150,000; Full time

Job summary

Varda Space Industries, Inc. in El Segundo, CA, is seeking an Automation and Controls Engineer II to design, build, and own test infrastructure ensuring spaceflight hardware qualification.

You will develop bespoke GSE, integrate diverse hardware, and advance PLC-based or Linux-based control solutions. You will influence architecture decisions, work with modern stacks, including Beckhoff EtherCAT, and help define testing standards for production and flight programs.

Qualifications

• Design, build, and maintain test systems and GSE for flight hardware qualification and manufacturing operations.
• Develop and extend internal PLC framework and EtherCAT tooling to support evolving program needs.
• Evaluate real-time control approaches (PLC-based vs Linux-based) for high-frequency control applications.
• Collaborate on architecture decisions and define enduring standards for spaceflight hardware testing.

Responsibilities

• Design, build, and maintain test systems and ground support equipment (GSE) for flight hardware qualification and manufacturing operations.
• Integrate with external hardware including thermal vacuum chambers, ovens, chillers, pressure systems, data acquisition hardware, and precision instrumentation.
• Develop and extend Varda's PLC framework and EtherCAT tooling to support evolving program needs.
• Contribute to architecture decisions on real-time control implementation (TwinCAT 3 vs Linux-based approaches).
• Build cabinets, wire panels, and own end-to-end systems from electrical design through commissioning.

Skills

Automation engineering

PLC programming

Electrical design

Systems integration

Education

Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering

Tools

Beckhoff EtherCAT

TwinCAT 3

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

The Automation and Controls Engineer II builds bespoke test infrastructure that qualifies spaceflight hardware for orbit. They design, build, and own sophisticated ground support equipment (GSE) and test systems: propulsion test stands, environmental qualification chambers, spacecraft-level integration testing and more! Our stack is modern, including a custom PLC framework and Beckhoff EtherCAT tooling built in-house. They will have a meaningful impact on architecture decisions, and the chance to define standards that will outlast any single program.

Responsibilities

• Design, build, and maintain test systems and ground support equipment (GSE) for flight hardware qualification and manufacturing operations.
• Integrate with a wide range of external hardware, including thermal vacuum chambers, ovens, chillers, pressure systems, data acquisition hardware, and precision instrumentation.
• Develop and extend Varda's internal PLC framework and EtherCAT tooling to support evolving program needs.
• Contribute to architecture decisions on real-time control implementation, including evaluation of PLC-based (TwinCAT 3) versus Linux-based approaches for high-frequency control applications.
• Build cabinets, wire panels, and own systems end-to-end from electrical design through commissioni ...