Manufacturing Engineer II (Structures)

Varda Space Industries; El Segundo (CA); On-site; USD 80,000 - 120,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Equity in a fully funded space startup

401(k) matching

Unlimited PTO

Health insurance

Lunch and snacks provided on site

Dinners provided twice a week

Job summary

Varda Space Industries in El Segundo, California is looking for a Manufacturing Engineer. This role focuses on scaling production of aerospace vehicles, working with design engineers to improve manufacturing processes. Candidates must have a B.S. in mechanical or aerospace engineering, with 1-4 years of manufacturing experience. Strong teamwork, problem-solving, and communication skills are essential. The position offers on-site work, equity options, and benefits including 401(k) matching and unlimited PTO.

Qualifications

• 1-4+ years of manufacturing experience.
• Proven experience working on complex technical programs, preferably in aerospace.
• Must be physically able to regularly lift 25 lbs.

Responsibilities

• Provide technical direction to improve build processes.
• Collaborate to solve large-scale production challenges.
• Refine floor layouts and product flow analysis.

Skills

Teamwork

Problem-solving

Communication (verbal and written)

First-principles thinking

Education

B.S. degree in mechanical, manufacturing, or aerospace engineering

Tools

3D CAD software

Factory layout design tools (e.g., SketchUp, Autodesk)

Job description

Manufacturing Engineer (structures)

El Segundo, California, United States

Scale manufacturing cadence by developing standardized floor layouts and work instructions for structures

About the role

As a Structures Manufacturing Engineer at Varda, you will have the opportunity to utilize your experience to scale manufacturing from a few bespoke vehicles to many consistent, concurrent builds. This role supports structural subassembly production, including primary airframe, tanks, and bonded structures. The Structures ME owns build processes for structural hardware from work instruction development through production floor implementation.

Manufacturing Engineers will be a vital part in increasing Varda's build cadence, working directly with design engineers and technicians across a broad array of processes (structures, thermal protection systems, propulsion, and avionics components) required to manufacture our vehicles. The focus is to implement incremental improvement for every vehicle Varda produces.

Responsibilities

• Provide technical direction to improve build processes to scale and increase vehicle cadence
• Collaborate with other engineers and technicians to solve large‑scale production challenges
• Refine floor layouts, capacity models, and product flow analysis
• Develop and implement standardized processes for vehicle integration
• Assess cost of increasing work cell capabilities and propose plans to increase internal capabilities
• Proactively coordinate with technicians and supply chain to prevent schedule delays
• Review work instructions to make change recommendations when required and identify tooling/training gaps
• Identify and resolve non‑conformance issues – implement root cause corrective actions

Basic Qualifications

• B.S. degree in mechanical, manufacturing, or aerospace engineering
• 1‑4+ years of manufacturing experience
• Teamwork, communication (verbal and written), and problem‑solving in a collaborative environment
• Proven experience working on complex technical programs, preferably within aerospace or related industries
• Strong first‑principles thinking
• Hands‑on experience building complex vehicles
• Must be physically able to regularly lift 25 lbs.
• Must be comfortable bending, stooping, and standing
• Hands‑on position may require standing and working directly with hardware on the floor

Preferred Skills and Experience

• Knowledge of aerospace vehicle systems
• Experience with project management of the full lifecycle of a project
• Experience transitioning complex assemblies from development to production, including developing factory systems and floor layouts
• Experience with aerospace hardware development practices (e.g., qualification testing, cleanliness, ESD, grounding)
• Experience across structures, propulsion, materials/thermal protection systems, and/or avionics production
• Prior work in a technical role for a launch vehicle or satellite development effortExperience with tooling design and analysis using 3D CAD software
• Experience using factory layout design tools (e.g., SketchUp, Autodesk, Draw.io)

Pay Range

• Salary range: Eng I: $X‑X, Eng II: $X‑X, Senior: $X‑X
• This role is on‑site in El Segundo, CA
• Leveling and base salary is determined by job‑related skills, education level, experience level, and performance
• Eligible for incentives in the form of stock options and/or long‑term cash awards

ITAR Requirements

• Employees must be lawfully authorized to work in the U.S. and must be U.S. persons (citizen, lawful permanent resident, or protected individual) because access to export‑controlled items is only granted to them.

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 and paternity leave (interns excluded)

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 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, marital status, mental or physical disability, or any other legally protected status.

Varda Space Industries, Inc. participates in the U.S. Department of Homeland Security E‑Verify program. Learn more about the E‑Verify program.