Senior Manufacturing Engineer- Integration

Varda Space Industries; El Segundo (CA); On-site; USD 110,000 - 170,000; Full time

Job summary

Varda Space Industries seeks a Senior Manufacturing Engineer- Integration to act as the central orchestrator of spacecraft final assembly. You will own integration procedures, manage subassembly and final closeout, and coordinate across structures, propulsion, avionics, and TPS to ensure safe, on-schedule builds.

This role requires meticulous process discipline and real-time conflict resolution on the factory floor.

Qualifications

• B.S. in Mechanical or Systems Engineering or related discipline; 3–6+ years preferred.
• 3+ years in vehicle or system-level integration roles or final assembly in aerospace/defense/robotics.
• Experience coordinating cross-disciplinary teams and solving integration challenges.

Responsibilities

• Own spacecraft integration sequences from subassembly to final vehicle closeout.
• Develop and maintain assembly travelers and integration work instructions.
• Interface between manufacturing and engineering disciplines during vehicle integration.
• Identify and resolve interface conflicts and assembly sequence issues before schedule impact.
• Lead integration readiness reviews; ensure cleanliness, FOD sweeps, torque records and checks are documented.
• Drive root-cause analysis for integration non-conformances; disposition MRBs with design engineering.
• Track integration metrics and implement improvements to hit cadence goals.
• Define tooling and lifting equipment requirements for safe vehicle integration.

Skills

Integration

Manufacturing

Systems engineering

Education

B.S. in Mechanical or Systems Engineering

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

As the Senior Manufacturing Engineer- Integration at Varda, you will be the central orchestrator of spacecraft final assembly — responsible for the processes, sequence, and documentation that bring every subsystem together into a complete, flight-ready vehicle. You will own integration procedures from subassembly mating through final closeout, working at the convergence of structures, propulsion, avionics, and TPS to ensure every build is executed accurately, safely, and on schedule. This role demands exceptional situational awareness, meticulous attention to process discipline, and the confidence to resolve conflicts between subsystems in real time on the factory floor. If you thrive on complexity and find satisfaction in watching a spacecraft come together under your direction, this is the role for you.

Responsibilities

• Own spacecraft integration sequences and procedures from subassembly mating through final vehicle closeout and acceptance
• Develop, maintain, and continuously improve assembly travelers and integration work instructions that sequence all subsystem interfaces correctly
• Serve as the primary interface between manufacturing and all engineering disciplines (structures, propulsion, avionics, TPS) during vehicle integration
• Identify and resolve interface conflicts, clearance issues, and assembly sequence problems before they impact build schedule
• Lead integration readiness reviews and ensure all pre-integration checkpoints — cleanliness, FOD sweeps, torque records, pin-to-pin checks — are completed and documented
• Drive root cause analysis and RCCA for integration non-conformances; disposition MRBs in coordination with design engineering
• Track integration metrics (planned vs. actual cycle time, NCR rates, rework hours) and implement targeted improvements to hit cadence goals
• Define tooling and lifting/handling equipment requirements for safe vehicle integration operations

Basic Qualifications

• B.S. in Mechanical or Systems Engineering, or a related discipline, with consideration given to equivalent professional experience (typically 3–6+ years)
• 3+ years of experience in vehicle or system-level integration roles or final assembly within aerospace, defense, robotics