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Salary: USD 119,543 - 152,749 / annual
Varda Space Industries is building commercial space infrastructure, including in-orbit pharmaceutical processing vehicles, reentry capsules, heat shields, and satellite buses. As a Manufacturing Engineer II - Integration, you will serve as the central orchestrator of spacecraft final assembly, responsible for the processes, sequences, and documentation that bring every subsystem together into a complete, flight-ready vehicle.
You will own integration procedures from subassembly mating through final closeout, working at the convergence of structures, propulsion, avionics, and thermal protection systems (TPS). Your responsibilities include developing and maintaining assembly travelers and integration work instructions that sequence all subsystem interfaces correctly; serving as the primary interface between manufacturing and all engineering disciplines during vehicle integration; identifying and resolving interface conflicts, clearance issues, and assembly sequence problems before they impact build schedule; leading integration readiness reviews and ensuring all pre-integration checkpoints (cleanliness, FOD sweeps, torque records, pin-to-pin checks) are completed and documented; driving root cause analysis and RCCA for integration non-conformances; tracking integration metrics (planned vs. actual cycle time, NCR rates, rework hours) and implementing targeted improvements; and defining tooling and lifting/handling equipment requirements for safe vehicle integration operations.
This role demands exceptional situational awareness, meticulous attention to process discipline, and the confidence to resolve conflicts between subsystems in real time on the factory floor. You will work directly with flight hardware in a manufacturing environment actively scaling from unit builds to multi-vehicle concurrent production.
Varda is headquartered in El Segundo, California, with offices and a production facility where vehicles, equipment, and materials are built, integrated, and tested. The company also has offices in Washington, DC and Huntsville, AL. Founded in January 2021 by Will Bruey and Delian Asparouhov, Varda is backed by world-class investors including Khosla Ventures, Lux Capital, Founders Fund, Caffeinated Capital, General Catalyst, and Also Capital.
**Requirements:**
- B.S. in Mechanical or Systems Engineering, or related discipline (or equivalent professional experience)
- 3+ years of experience in vehicle or system-level integration roles or final assembly within aerospace, defense, robotics, or similar industries
- Strong understanding of how multiple subsystems (mechanical, electrical, fluid) interface within a vehicle assembly
- Experience developing and executing complex assembly or integration procedures
- Ability to manage competing priorities and make sound, real-time decisions on the production floor
- Exceptional communication and coordination skills across multi-discipline teams
- Must be physically able to regularly lift 25 lbs., bend, stoop, and stand for extended periods while working directly with flight hardware
- U.S. person status required (U.S. citizen, U.S. lawful permanent resident, or protected individual as defined by 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3)) due to ITAR export-control requirements
**Preferred Skills and Experience:**
- M.S. degree in Mechanical Engineering or Electrical Engineering specialized in Embedded Systems, Mechatronics, Control Theory, or similar discipline
- Experience as a lead integration engineer or integration ME on a launch vehicle, satellite, or spacecraft program
- Familiarity with integration and test (I&T) flows for complex aerospace vehicles, including functional testing at each integration milestone
- Background managing integration of flight hardware from multiple subsystem suppliers or internal teams into a single vehicle
- Experience with configuration management and build record documentation in a regulated aerospace environment
- Knowledge of cleanliness and contamination control requirements for propulsion, optical, or precision mechanism integration
- Hands-on experience with vehicle handling (cranes, slings, rotation fixtures, and precision alignment tooling)
- Prior work in a manufacturing environment actively scaling from unit builds to multi-vehicle concurrent production
- Experience conducting integration readiness reviews, pre-mate inspections, and post-integration functional checkouts
