Spaceflight Automation & Controls Engineer II

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

Benefits offered by this job

Stock options

Relocation support

401(k) with company match

Comprehensive health insurance

Job summary

Varda Space Industries in El Segundo, CA, is hiring an Automation and Controls Engineer II to design, build, and own ground test systems and GSE for flight hardware qualification. They will develop a modern stack with a custom PLC framework and EtherCAT tooling, collaborating with propulsion, avionics, GNC, and manufacturing teams to meet aggressive timelines.

The role is on-site in El Segundo with competitive compensation, stock options, relocation support, and comprehensive health, retirement,

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering or related technical field is required.
• 2+ years of industry experience in test automation, controls, or industrial automation.
• Hands-on experience with industrial hardware and communication protocols (EtherCAT, Modbus, RS-232/485).
• Experience with a modern PLC ecosystem, ideally Beckhoff TwinCAT 3 with structured text.
• Comfort across the full stack: electrical panels, wiring, debugging, and control software.
• Ability to thrive in a fast-paced startup environment with end-to-end ownership.

Responsibilities

• Design, build, and maintain test systems and ground support equipment for flight hardware qualification and manufacturing operations.
• Integrate with external hardware like thermal vacuum chambers, ovens, chillers, and data acquisition systems.
• Develop and extend PLC framework and EtherCAT tooling to meet program needs.
• Contribute to architecture decisions on real-time control, evaluating PLC-based vs Linux-based approaches.
• Build cabinets and wire panels, owning systems end-to-end from electrical design to commissioning.
• Partner with propulsion, avionics, GNC, and manufacturing teams to deliver test infrastructure on aggressive timelines.
• Champion sustainable engineering practices to help new engineers ramp quickly.

Job description

Varda Space Industries in El Segundo, CA, is hiring an Automation and Controls Engineer II to design, build, and own ground test systems and GSE for flight hardware qualification. They will develop a modern stack with a custom PLC framework and EtherCAT tooling, collaborating with propulsion, avionics, GNC, and manufacturing teams to meet aggressive timelines.

The role is on-site in El Segundo with competitive compensation, stock options, relocation support, and comprehensive health, retirement,