Spaceflight Test Automation Engineer II

Front Door Defense; El Segundo (CA); Hybrid; USD 120,000 - 153,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health insurance

401(k) retirement plan with employer-0

Relocation support

Job summary

Varda is seeking a Mechanical Test Engineer II, Automation in El Segundo, CA to build and maintain ground test infrastructure for spaceflight hardware qualification. You will design, assemble, and own test systems including propulsion stands, environmental chambers, and integration tests, using a modern PLC/EtherCAT stack.

Responsibilities include delivering high-uptime test platforms, integrating multi subsystem test rigs, and working with propulsion, avionics, and manufacturing teams to meet

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering or related field.
• 3+ years in mechanical design or industrial automation.
• Experience with CAD tools such as Solidworks or NX.
• Hands-on wiring experience for cabinets and harnesses.
• Familiarity with PLCs and control software, ideally Beckhoff TwinCAT 3.

Responsibilities

• Design, build, and maintain test systems and GSE for flight hardware qualification and manufacturing.
• Ensure >99% uptime and reliable test performance.
• Operate as Responsible Engineer for test infrastructure including complex stands and gas/liquid systems.
• Collaborate with propulsion, avionics, GNC, and manufacturing teams on timelines.
• Modify and extend the PLC framework and EtherCAT tooling as needed.
• Document systems with clear procedures and schematics.

Skills

Mechanical design

Industrial automation

Electrical wiring

Education

Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering or related field

Tools

Solidworks/NX CAD

Altium

EPLAN

Beckhoff TwinCAT 3

EtherCAT

Modbus

PLC programming

Job description

Varda is seeking a Mechanical Test Engineer II, Automation in El Segundo, CA to build and maintain ground test infrastructure for spaceflight hardware qualification. You will design, assemble, and own test systems including propulsion stands, environmental chambers, and integration tests, using a modern PLC/EtherCAT stack.

Responsibilities include delivering high-uptime test platforms, integrating multi subsystem test rigs, and working with propulsion, avionics, and manufacturing teams to meet