Lead Spacecraft Mission Operations & Automation

Varda Space Industries; El Segundo (CA); On-site; USD 120,000 - 170,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Equity incentives

401(k) with 6% employer match

Relocation support

Wellness reimbursement

Fully stocked kitchen

Job summary

Varda Space Industries in El Segundo, CA, is seeking a Mission Operations professional to own and execute on‑orbit missions for Winnie, shaping a new mission framework. You will lead payload operation development, coordinate cross‑team efforts, and drive efficiency by building webtools for mission operations.

The role requires 2+ years in real‑time ops and 1+ year in software tool development (Python/JavaScript/HTML). Strong space systems familiarity is expected.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in an engineering discipline (Aerospace, Electrical, or CS).
• 2+ years in a real-time operations role on complex high-consequence systems.
• 1+ years developing software tools in Python, JavaScript, or HTML.
• Familiarity with avionics, GNC, software, and thermal design for spacecraft.

Responsibilities

• Develop, coordinate, execute, and lead Varda's on‑orbit missions.
• Own the full ops development cycle for mission‑unique payloads, from the creation of mission profiles through execution.
• Work with teams across the company to continuously improve upon mission operations and ensure mission success.
• Automate and eliminate operational burden by building webtools.
• Scale up Varda's operational capabilities to support a growing flight cadence.

Skills

Real-time operations

Spacecraft knowledge

Software tools development

Education

Bachelor's degree in engineering

Tools

Python

JavaScript

HTML

Job description

Varda Space Industries in El Segundo, CA, is seeking a Mission Operations professional to own and execute on‑orbit missions for Winnie, shaping a new mission framework. You will lead payload operation development, coordinate cross‑team efforts, and drive efficiency by building webtools for mission operations.

The role requires 2+ years in real‑time ops and 1+ year in software tool development (Python/JavaScript/HTML). Strong space systems familiarity is expected.