Principal Fluid Systems Engineer - Payloads

Varda; El Segundo (CA); On-site; USD 182,000 - 232,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Flexible PTO

Medical, Dental, Vision insurance

Relocation assistance

Job summary

Varda is seeking a Principal Fluid Systems Engineer to lead development of electromechanical fluid handling hardware for pharmaceutical manufacturing in microgravity, including design, testing, and on-orbit operation. You'll shape architecture and guide teams from requirements through deployment and iteration for future missions.

You will collaborate with pharmaceutical scientists, process engineers, and submarine subsystem teams to translate mission objectives into flight-ready hardware,

Qualifications

• BS/BEng in Mechanical, Aerospace, Mechatronics, Biomedical, Chemical, or related engineering discipline.
• 7+ years of experience designing, integrating, testing, and troubleshooting electromechanical hardware.
• Deep mechanical and fluid systems expertise with breadth in at least two adjacent disciplines.
• Track record leading project teams through full-cycle electromechanical space flight hardware development.
• Extensive experience with valves, pumps, pistons, tubing, manifolds, fittings, seals, filters, sensors, metering hardware, thermal-control hardware, and/or compact fluidic assemblies.
• Excellent communication skills with customer, executive, and cross-disciplinarytechnical audiences

Responsibilities

• Define requirements, architecture, and development plans for pharmaceutical manufacturing payloads
• Establish fluid system design standards for component selection and qualification, sealing, contamination control, thermal control, and verification/validation
• Lead project teams to develop of precision fluid systems incorporating valves, pumps, pistons, manifolds, tubing, fittings, seals, filters, sensors, and thermal control systems
• Drive system-level analyses, trade studies, and risk reduction using a variety of tools (hand calcs, Python/MATLAB models, FEA, etc.) as needed
• Lead build and test campaigns for prototypes and flight hardware to characterize performance and reliability
• Synthesize cross-functional inputs from business development, pharmaceutical science, process engineering, and spacecraft subsystem teams to develop requirements for new pharmaceutical payloads
• Develop standards for subsystem requirements, ICDs, verification plans, test reports, and recovery procedures
• Represent Varda in technical discussions with internal leadership, external partners, customers, and government stakeholders
• Lead continuous improvement and incorporation of lessons learned
• Mentor senior and entry-level engineers and shape best practices

Skills

Communication

Leadership

Mechanical design

Fluid systems

Project management

Education

BS/BEng in Mechanical, Aerospace, Mechatronics, Biomedical, Chemical, or related engineering

Tools

Python

MATLAB

FEA

Job description

About Varda

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

As a Principal Fluid Systems Engineer on Varda's Payload team, you will define and lead the development of first-of-its-kind electromechanical fluid handling hardware that manufactures pharmaceuticals in microgravity, endures hypersonic reentry, and returns to Earth for material extraction. Your payloads will precisely meter, mix, filter, transport, and thermally control pharmaceutical materials in compact spacecraft-compatible hardware. You’ll shape the architecture and technical direction for pharmaceutical payloads—guiding project teams from requirements synthesis through development, on-orbit operation, recovery, and iteration for future missions.

You’ll collaborate closely with pharmaceutical scientists, process engineers, internal leadership, and spacecraft subsystem teams to translate mission objectives into qualified hardware that flies in months, not years. This role is ideal for engineers who combine deep mechanical and fluid systems expertise with the cross-functional breadth to define foundational in-space pharmaceutical manufacturing infrastructure.

Responsibilities

• Define requirements, architecture, and development plans for pharmaceutical manufacturing payloads
• Establish fluid system design standards for component selection and qualification, sealing, contamination control, thermal control, and verification/validation
• Lead project teams to develop of precision fluid systems incorporating valves, pumps, pistons, manifolds, tubing, fittings, seals, filters, sensors, and thermal control systems
• Drive system-level analyses, trade studies, and risk reduction using a variety of tools (hand calcs, Python/MATLAB models, FEA, etc. as needed)
• Lead build and test campaigns for prototypes and flight hardware to characterize performance and reliability
• Synthesize cross-functional inputs from business development, pharmaceutical science, process engineering, and spacecraft subsystem teams to develop requirements for new pharmaceutical payloads
• Develop standards for subsystem requirements, ICDs, verification plans, test reports, and recovery procedures
• Represent Varda in technical discussions with internal leadership, external partners, customers, and government stakeholders
• Lead continuous improvement and incorporation of lessons learned
• Mentor senior and entry-level engineers and shape best practices

Basic Qualifications

• BS/BEng in Mechanical, Aerospace, Mechatronics, Biomedical, Chemical, or related engineering discipline
• 7+ years of experience designing, integrating, testing, and troubleshooting electromechanical hardware
• Deep mechanical and fluid systems expertise with breadth in at least two adjacent disciplines such as avionics, software, thermal, optics, test, precision instrumentation, etc.
• Track record leading project teams through full-cycle electromechanical space flight hardware development
• Extensive experience with valves, pumps, pistons, tubing, manifolds, fittings, seals, filters, sensors, metering hardware, thermal-control hardware, and/or compact fluidic assemblies
• Excellent communication skills with customer, executive, and cross-disciplinarytechnical audiences

Preferred Skills and Experience

• 3+ years of cross-functional project leadership experience
• Prior full-cycle technical leadership of precision fluid-handling hardware for relevant applications
  • In Space: ECLSS, low-thrust propulsion, astronaut suits, spacecraft thermal control, etc.
  • On Earth: semiconductor process equipment, biotech process equipment, analytical instruments, medical devices, etc.
• Extensive experience planning and executing aerospace environmental testing (vibration, TVAC, EMI/EMC)
• Familiarity with microgravity fluid behavior, capillary-driven flows, gas/liquid separation, two-phase flow, cGMP principles, cleanroom practices, or regulated hardware environments

Pay Range

• Salary range: $181,913 - $232,444/per year
• Leveling and base salary is 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

Consider your benefits covered for launch. At Varda, we invest in benefits andperksthat support your health, financial well-being, and life beyond work. Benefits vary by position, with packages designed specifically for our regular full-time employees and interns.

Regular Full-Time Positions:

• 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 (immediatelyvested)
• $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

Benefits forInternship Positions:

• 100% company-paid Medical, Dental, and Vision insurance plans for employees and dependents with FSA and employer-matched HSA options.
• $120/month wellness reimbursement for gym and fitness expenses.
• Sponsored One Medical memberships for employees and their dependents.
• $20/pay period cell phone reimbursement.
• Up to $4,000gross up in relocation support, ifeligible
• Up to $850commute credit through Lyft or car rental reimbursement, if eligible.

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 the E-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.