Senior Spaceflight Automation & Controls Engineer

vardaspace; El Segundo (CA); On-site; USD 120,000 - 160,000; Full time

Job summary

Varda is seeking a Senior Automation and Controls Engineer in El Segundo, CA to design and build bespoke test infrastructure that qualifies spaceflight hardware for orbit. You will own GSE and test systems, including propulsion test stands, environmental chambers, and spacecraft-level integration testing.

In this role you will advance a modern PLC-based stack, contribute to architecture decisions, and collaborate with propulsion, avionics, GNC, and manufacturing teams to meet tight timelines

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 EtherCAT, Modbus (TCP/RTU), RS-232/485 serial, or similar communication standards.
• Experience with modern PLC ecosystems, ideally Beckhoff TwinCAT 3 with structured text (IEC 61131-3).
• Comfort across the full stack: electrical panel design, wiring cabinets, debugging hardware, and writing control software.

Responsibilities

• Design, build, and maintain test systems and ground support equipment (GSE) for flight hardware qualification and manufacturing operations.
• Integrate with 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, evaluating PLC-based vs Linux-based approaches for high-frequency control.
• 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 on aggressive timelines.
• Champion sustainable engineering practices that enable new engineers to ramp quickly on the tech stack and maintain production systems.

Skills

Test automation

Industrial automation

Real-time control

End-to-end ownership

Education

Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering or related field

Tools

Beckhoff TwinCAT 3

EtherCAT tooling

Job description

Varda is seeking a Senior Automation and Controls Engineer in El Segundo, CA to design and build bespoke test infrastructure that qualifies spaceflight hardware for orbit. You will own GSE and test systems, including propulsion test stands, environmental chambers, and spacecraft-level integration testing.

In this role you will advance a modern PLC-based stack, contribute to architecture decisions, and collaborate with propulsion, avionics, GNC, and manufacturing teams to meet tight timelines