Senior Ground Test Systems Mechanical Design Engineer

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

Benefits offered by this job

Stock options

Long-term cash incentives

Job summary

Varda Space Industries, Inc. in El Segundo, CA, is seeking a Senior Ground Support Mechanical Design Engineer to build bespoke test infrastructure for spaceflight hardware qualification.

You will design, build, and own complex ground support equipment and test systems, including propulsion test stands, environmental chambers, and integration testing, with a modern PLC/EtherCAT stack. The role emphasizes production-enabling equipment, cross-disciplinary integration (mechanical, electrical, fluid,

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering or related field.
• 5+ years of mechanical design or industrial automation experience.
• Experience with SolidWorks, NX CAD or comparable.
• Experience with electrical wiring for cabinets, PLCs, harnesses, connectors, etc.
• Experience with Altium or comparable electronic schematic design software. Migrating to EPLAN.
• Hands-on experience with high-pressure gas or fluid systems.
• Environmental test experience (TVAC, thermal cycling, vibration).
• Experience developing propulsion test stands or complex test infrastructure.
• Hands-on experience with EtherCAT, Modbus, RS-232/485 or similar protocols.
• Experience with at least one modern PLC ecosystem (Beckhoff TwinCAT 3 preferred).
• Thrives 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 and manufacturing operations.
• Ensure test infrastructure uptime >99% and predictable performance.
• Serve as Responsible Engineer for test infrastructure (centrifuges, TVACs, prop test stands, etc.).
• Build cabinets, wire panels, and own systems end-to-end from electrical design through commissioning.
• Collaborate with propulsion, avionics, GNC, and manufacturing teams to meet needs on tight timelines.
• Read and modify Varda's PLC framework and EtherCAT tooling as needed.
• Promote sustainable engineering practices and thorough documentation.

Skills

Mechanical design experience

Industrial automation

ECAD/PLC integration

Education

Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering

Tools

SolidWorks

NX CAD

Altium

EPLAN

Beckhoff TwinCAT 3

Job description

Varda Space Industries, Inc. in El Segundo, CA, is seeking a Senior Ground Support Mechanical Design Engineer to build bespoke test infrastructure for spaceflight hardware qualification.

You will design, build, and own complex ground support equipment and test systems, including propulsion test stands, environmental chambers, and integration testing, with a modern PLC/EtherCAT stack. The role emphasizes production-enabling equipment, cross-disciplinary integration (mechanical, electrical, fluid,