Senior Ground Systems Automation & Controls Engineer

Varda Space Industries; El Segundo (CA); On-site; USD 140,000 - 179,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

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On-site in El Segundo

Job summary

Varda Space Industries in El Segundo, CA is seeking a Senior Automation & Controls Engineer to build bespoke test infrastructure for spaceflight hardware. You will design, build, and own GSE, test stands, environmental chambers, and integration test rigs using a modern stack including Beckhoff EtherCAT.

You will collaborate with propulsion, avionics, GNC, and manufacturing to deliver scalable test systems on aggressive timelines, while championing sustainable engineering practices and hands-on

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering or related field.
• 5+ years in test automation, controls, or industrial automation.
• Hands-on experience with EtherCAT, Modbus, RS-232/485.
• Experience with Beckhoff TwinCAT 3 and IEC 61131-3.
• Comfort designing electrical panels and debugging hardware.
• Ability to thrive in fast-paced startup environments with end-to-end ownership.

Responsibilities

• Design, build, and maintain test systems and ground support equipment for flight hardware qualification.
• Integrate with external hardware including environmental chambers and pressure systems.
• Develop and extend internal PLC framework and EtherCAT tooling.
• Advise on real-time control implementations and architecture decisions.
• Build cabinets, wire panels, and own systems end-to-end from design to commissioning.
• Collaborate with propulsion, avionics, GNC, and manufacturing teams.
• Promote sustainable engineering practices to ease ramp-up for new engineers.

Skills

EtherCAT

TwinCAT 3

PLC programming

Automation testing

Electrical panels

GSE development

Real-time control

Education

Bachelor's in Mechanical Engineering

Tools

Beckhoff TwinCAT

IEC 61131-3

Grafana/InfluxDB

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.

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

The Senior Automation & Controls Engineer 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 commissioning.
• Partner with propulsion, avionics, GNC, and manufacturing teams to deliver test infrastructure that meets their needs on aggressive timelines.
• Champion sustainable engineering practices that enable new engineers to ramp quickly on the tech stack and maintain production systems reliably.

Basic Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering, or related technical field.
• 5+ years of industry experience in test automation, controls, and/or industrial automation.
• Hands‑on experience integrating with industrial hardware over protocols such as EtherCAT, Modbus (TCP/RTU), RS‑232/485 serial, or similar communication standards.
• Experience with at least one modern PLC ecosystem – ideally Beckhoff TwinCAT 3 with structured text (IEC 61131‑3), or a demonstrated eagerness to develop deep expertise there.
• Comfort working across the full stack: designing electrical panels, wiring cabinets, debugging hardware, and writing control software.
• Proven ability to thrive in a fast‑paced startup environment where priorities shift, and end‑to‑end ownership of problems is expected.

Preferred Skills And Experience

• Strong intuition for when to use real‑time PLC code versus higher‑level Python orchestration, and a strong understanding of the tradeoff.
• Experience working with custom or in‑house control frameworks, rather than relying solely on vendor‑provided stacks.
• Advanced EtherCAT expertise – including DC sync, ENI configuration, master implementation, or driver‑level work.
• Production experience with TwinCAT 3, structured text, and the broader IEC 61131‑3 language suite.
• Experience designing deterministic, hard real‑time control loops with sub‑millisecond cycle times.
• Familiarity with time‑series data acquisition and visualization tools such as Grafana, InfluxDB, or similar platforms.
• Aerospace experience, particularly in spacecraft testing or GSE development.
• Environmental test experience, including TVAC, thermal cycling, and vibration testing.
• Hands‑on experience working with high‑pressure gas or fluid systems.Experience developing propulsion test stands or other complex, multi‑subsystem test infrastructure.
• Familiarity with spacecraft qualification standards and associated documentation requirements.
• Experience developing safety‑related control systems and evaluating proposed solutions for reducing safety‑related risks.

Pay Range

• Salary range: Senior: $140,333 - $179,314/ per year.
• This role is on-site in El Segundo, CA.
• 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.

ITAR Requirements

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 licence.

“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.

E-Verify Notice Right To Work Notice

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.