Spaceflight Controls Engineer II — Real-Time GSE & Test Systems

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

Benefits offered by this job

Health & Wellness

Relocation support

401(k) with match

Stock options

Relocation credit via Lyft

Fully stocked kitchen

Job summary

Varda Space Industries seeks an Automation and Controls Engineer II to design and build bespoke test infrastructure qualifying spaceflight hardware for orbit. You will design, build, and own sophisticated GSE and test systems including propulsion test stands and environmental chambers.

The role involves extending the PLC framework, evaluating real-time control approaches, and collaborating across propulsion, avionics, GNC, and manufacturing teams to meet tight deadlines.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in 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 EtherCAT, Modbus (TCP/RTU), RS-232/485.
• Experience with modern PLC ecosystems, ideally Beckhoff TwinCAT 3 with structured text (IEC 61131-3).
• Ability to design electrical panels, wire cabinets, debug hardware, and write control software.
• Thrives in a fast-paced startup environment with end-to-end ownership.

Responsibilities

• Design, build, and maintain test systems and ground support equipment (GSE) for flight hardware qualification and manufacturing operations.
• Integrate with external hardware such as thermal vacuum chambers, ovens, chillers, and data acquisition hardware.
• Develop and extend Varda's PLC framework and EtherCAT tooling to support evolving program needs.
• Evaluate real-time control approaches (TwinCAT 3 vs Linux-based) for high-frequency control tasks.
• Build cabinets, wire panels, and own systems end-to-end from electrical design to commissioning.
• Collaborate with propulsion, avionics, GNC, and manufacturing teams to meet aggressive timelines.

Skills

Test automation

Controls

Industrial automation

EtherCAT

Modbus

RS-232/485

TwinCAT 3

PLC programming

Python orchestration

Education

Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering or related field

Tools

Beckhoff TwinCAT 3

EtherCAT tooling

GSE integration

PLC development

Grafana/InfluxDB

Job description

Varda Space Industries seeks an Automation and Controls Engineer II to design and build bespoke test infrastructure qualifying spaceflight hardware for orbit. You will design, build, and own sophisticated GSE and test systems including propulsion test stands and environmental chambers.

The role involves extending the PLC framework, evaluating real-time control approaches, and collaborating across propulsion, avionics, GNC, and manufacturing teams to meet tight deadlines.