Spaceflight Automation & Controls Engineer II

Socket.dev

El Segundo (CA)

On-site

USD 120,000 - 153,000

Full time

14 days+

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Benefits offered by this job

Stock options

401(k) employer match

Relocation support

Health insurance for employee and deps

Job summary

Varda Space Industries in El Segundo, CA is seeking an Automation and Controls Engineer II to design, build, and own test systems for flight hardware qualification. You will work across electrical design, wiring, and software to advance spaceflight readiness.

Join a fast-paced startup environment where you’ll refine PLC-based and Linux-based control approaches, extend our EtherCAT tooling, and collaborate with propulsion, avionics, and manufacturing teams to deliver critical ground support

Qualifications

Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or related technical field.
2+ years of industry experience in test automation, controls, and/or industrial automation.
Hands-on experience integrating with industrial hardware over protocols such as EtherCAT, Modbus (TCP/RTU), RS-232/485 serial, or similar.
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.
Comfort working across the full stack: writing control software, designing electrical panels, wiring cabinets, and debugging hardware.
Proven ability to thrive in a fast-paced startup environment where priorities shift, and end-to-end ownership of problems is expected.

Responsibilities

Design, build, and maintain test systems and ground support equipment (GSE) for flight hardware qualification and manufacturing operations.
Integrate with a wide range of 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, including evaluation of PLC-based (TwinCAT 3) versus Linux-based approaches for high-frequency control applications.
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.
Champion sustainable engineering practices that enable new engineers to ramp quickly on the tech stack and maintain production systems reliably.