Spaceflight Automation & Controls Engineer II

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

Benefits offered by this job

Stock options

Long-term cash awards

Job summary

Varda Space Industries in El Segundo, CA, seeks an Automation & Controls Engineer II to build bespoke test infrastructure for spaceflight hardware qualification. You will design and own GSE, test stands, and qualification chambers, contributing to architecture decisions and standards.

You will influence real-time control approaches, integrate diverse hardware, and collaborate with propulsion, avionics, and manufacturing teams to meet aggressive schedules.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering or related field.
• 2+ years in test automation, controls, or industrial automation.
• Hands-on with EtherCAT, Modbus, RS-232/485.
• Experience with Beckhoff TwinCAT 3 and IEC 61131-3 ST.
• Ability to design electrical panels, wire cabinets, and write control software.
• Thrives in a fast-paced startup with end-to-end ownership.

Responsibilities

• Design, build, and maintain test systems and GSE for flight hardware qualification.
• Integrate with external hardware like thermal vacuum chambers and data acquisition systems.
• Develop and extend PLC framework and EtherCAT tooling for evolving needs.
• Contribute to real-time control architecture decisions (TwinCAT 3 vs Linux).
• Build cabinets, wire panels, and own systems end-to-end from design to commissioning.
• Collaborate with propulsion, avionics, GNC, and manufacturing teams on timelines.
• Champion sustainable engineering practices to accelerate new engineer ramp-up.

Skills

Test automation

Industrial automation

EtherCAT

Modbus

RS-232/RS-485

PLC ecosystems

Electrical panels

Debugging hardware

Startup environment

Education

Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering, or related technical field

Tools

Beckhoff TwinCAT 3

PLC tooling

Job description

Varda Space Industries in El Segundo, CA, seeks an Automation & Controls Engineer II to build bespoke test infrastructure for spaceflight hardware qualification. You will design and own GSE, test stands, and qualification chambers, contributing to architecture decisions and standards.

You will influence real-time control approaches, integrate diverse hardware, and collaborate with propulsion, avionics, and manufacturing teams to meet aggressive schedules.