Senior Terrestrial Mechanical Design & Test Engineer, Automation Hardware

Frontdoor Defense; El Segundo, Northern (CA, KY); Hybrid; USD 140,000 - 179,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Stock options

Long-term cash awards

Job summary

Varda Space Industries, Inc. in El Segundo, CA, seeks a Senior Terrestrial Mechanical Design & Test Engineer, Automation to build bespoke test infrastructure for spaceflight hardware qualification.

You will design, build, and own GSE and test systems such as propulsion test stands, environmental chambers, and integration rigs, collaborating with propulsion, avionics, GNC and manufacturing to meet aggressive timelines.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering or related field.
• 5+ years in mechanical design or industrial automation.
• Experience with Solidworks/NX CAD and electrical wiring for cabinets.
• Experience with Altium or EPLAN; migrating tooling knowledge is a plus.
• Hands-on with high-pressure gas/fluid systems and environmental tests.

Responsibilities

• Design, build, and maintain test systems and GSE for flight hardware qualification and manufacturing operations.
• Ensure test infrastructure uptime >99% and reliable performance.
• Serve as Responsible Engineer for test infrastructure including centrifuges and TVACs.
• Wire cabinets, build panels, and own end-to-end system commissioning.
• Collaborate with propulsion, avionics, GNC and manufacturing teams on tight timelines.
• Read/deploy/edit Varda's PLC framework and EtherCAT tooling as-needed.

Skills

Solidworks

NX CAD

Electrical wiring

Altium

EPLAN

Gas systems

TVAC testing

Propulsion test stands

EtherCAT

Modbus

RS-232/485

TwinCAT 3

Education

Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering

Tools

PLC programming (Beckhoff TwinCAT 3)

Job description

Senior Terrestrial Mechanical Design & Test Engineer, Automation

Own the development of high-uptime terrestrial test infrastructure for spacecraft hardware

Location: El Segundo, California

Compensation: $140,333 - 179,314 USD / year

About The Role

Senior Terrestrial Mechanical Design & Test Engineer, Automation

The Senior Terrestrial Mechanical Design & Test Engineer, Automation 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.

Responsibilities include:

• Design, build, and maintain test systems and ground support equipment (GSE) for flight hardware qualification and manufacturing operations including data acquisition systems (Pelican DAQ, Load cell DAQ, Accelerometer DAQ, prop test stands, fill carts), thermal control systems (chillers, heaters, Ln2), PLC cabinets, and gas/liquid systems (valves, ducers, solenoids, flowmeters).
• Test infrastructure achieves >99% uptime and predictable performance.
• Be the 'Responsible Engineer' for test infrastructure including centrifuges, TVACs, prop test stands, prop fill carts, prop gas benches, prop water flow stands and torch test stands.
• 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.
• Read, deploy and make minor edits to Varda's internal PLC framework and EtherCAT tooling to support evolving program need.
• Champion sustainable engineering practices that enable new engineers to ramp quickly on the tech stack and maintain production systems reliably. All systems are thoroughly documented, with clear, accessible procedures and schematics.

Basic Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering, or related technical field.
• 5+ years of industry experience in mechanical design or industrial automation.
• Extensive experience using Solidworks, NX CAD or comparable.
• Experience with electrical wiring for cabinets, PLCs, harnesses, connectors, etc.
• Experience with Altium or comparable electronic schematic design software. We are migrating to EPLAN!
• Hands-on experience working with high-pressure gas or fluid systems.
• Environmental test experience, including TVAC, thermal cycling, and vibration testing.
• Experience developing propulsion test stands or other complex, multi-subsystem test infrastructure.
• 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.
• 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

• Aerospace experience, particularly in spacecraft testing or GSE development.
• Familiarity with spacecraft qualification standards and associated documentation requirements.
• Experience developing safety-related control systems and evaluating proposed solutions for reducing safety-related risks.
• Programming, either low level firmware or high-level Python.

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 license.'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.