Space Payload Integration & Test Engineer

Vardaspace; El Segundo (CA); On-site; USD 120,000 - 153,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Flexible PTO

Medical insurance

Relocation support

Equity incentives

Company events

Job summary

Varda is seeking a Payload Systems Integration and Test Engineer to own end-to-end mission success for a diverse payload portfolio, including in-house pharma payloads and hosted customer payloads. You will define interfaces, plan integration and test campaigns, and ensure safe data return and hardware recovery.

You will bridge payloads with the Varda vehicle, plan tests, and coordinate across engineering disciplines, ensuring readiness for flight operations and on-console support as needed.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Mechanical, Aerospace, Electrical, Chemical, Systems Engineering, or other relevant field.
• 2+ years in spacecraft payload integration and testing or equivalent electro‑mechanical hardware work.
• First-principles problem solving and broad system-level thinking.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Comfortable working hands-on in a cleanroom with critical flight hardware and capable of lifting 25 lbs.

Responsibilities

• Act as responsible engineer for assigned payloads from initial scoping through post-flight data delivery, for in-house pharma payloads and hosted customer payloads.
• Scope payload-to-vehicle interfaces with providers, capture requirements in ICDs, coordinate any special accommodations or vehicle changes with related engineering disciplines.
• Serve as the primary technical point of contact for external payload customers throughout the mission lifecycle.
• Plan and execute payload-level integration and test activities, including inspections, functional checkouts, and environmental testing (vibration, EMI/EMC, TVAC).
• Coordinate with Vehicle I&T to plan and execute full-vehicle test activities (payload installation, system compatibility, mission scenario testing).
• Identify, document, troubleshoot, and resolve technical issues during integration and test activities.
• Work with mission operations to define payload flight operations and support on-console operations.
• Drive lessons learned into interface docs and integration processes.

Skills

Systems integration

Electro-mechanical hardware

First-principles problem solving

Strong communication

Cleanroom experience

Education

Bachelor's degree in engineering

Tools

TVAC testing

EMI/EMC testing

ICD management

GSFC-STD-7000

Job description

Varda is seeking a Payload Systems Integration and Test Engineer to own end-to-end mission success for a diverse payload portfolio, including in-house pharma payloads and hosted customer payloads. You will define interfaces, plan integration and test campaigns, and ensure safe data return and hardware recovery.

You will bridge payloads with the Varda vehicle, plan tests, and coordinate across engineering disciplines, ensuring readiness for flight operations and on-console support as needed.