Senior Mechanisms Engineer - Spaceflight Payloads

Varda; El Segundo (CA); On-site; USD 140,000 - 180,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Flexible PTO

Medical, Dental, and Vision insurance

Parental leave

Relocation assistance

Stock options

401(k) with employer match

Wellness reimbursement

Job summary

Varda is seeking a Senior Mechanisms Engineer to develop electromechanical flight hardware for in-orbit operations, including pharmaceutical processing payloads and reentry testbeds. You will own multi-payload missions from concept through design, build, test, launch, and recovery.

You will work with avionics, software, thermal, and systems teams, perform structural and thermal analyses, and mentor junior engineers.

Qualifications

• BS/BEng in Mechanical, Aerospace, Mechatronics, or related field.
• Experience designing, integrating, testing, and troubleshooting electromechanical hardware.
• Ability to manage tasks, schedules, and deliver integrated hardware.

Responsibilities

• Own multi-payload missions from concept through design, integration, launch, reentry, and recovery.
• Lead the design of mechanisms, structures, thermal/fluid interfaces, and electromechanical assemblies.
• Independently perform structural, thermal, and fluid analyses (hand calcs, python/matlab models, and FEA).
• Build, instrument, and test prototypes and flight hardware.
• Coordinate cross-functional inputs (avionics, software, thermal, systems, integration).
• Serve as primary technical interface for multi-payload missions or complex payload development.
• Drive subsystem requirements, ICDs, verification plans, and documentation.
• Lead mission operations and post-flight teardown.
• Lead incorporation of lessons learned and continuous improvement.
• Mentor entry-level engineers and interns.

Skills

Mechanical design

Electromechanical systems

Analytical modeling

Prototype build & test

Education

BS in Mechanical, Aerospace, or Mechatronics

Tools

Python

MATLAB

FEA

Job description

Varda is seeking a Senior Mechanisms Engineer to develop electromechanical flight hardware for in-orbit operations, including pharmaceutical processing payloads and reentry testbeds. You will own multi-payload missions from concept through design, build, test, launch, and recovery.

You will work with avionics, software, thermal, and systems teams, perform structural and thermal analyses, and mentor junior engineers.