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Salary: USD 119,543 - 152,749 / annual
Varda Space Industries is building commercial space infrastructure, including in-orbit pharmaceutical processing systems and reentry capsules. The company designs and manufactures all major components in-house—from heat shields and satellite buses to processing payloads—and is scaling production cadence.
As Manufacturing Engineer II – Structures, you will own the manufacturing processes for primary and secondary structural assemblies that form the backbone of Varda's reentry capsules and spacecraft. You will work directly with structural design engineers and technician teams to translate design intent into production reality, focusing on composite layup and cure operations, machined metallic substructures, and bonded panel assemblies.
Key responsibilities include:
- Owning manufacturing processes for composite structures (wet layup, prepreg, autoclave/oven cure), machined metallic components, and bonded assemblies
- Developing and maintaining detailed work instructions, process specifications, and manufacturing travelers for all structural build operations
- Providing design-for-manufacturability (DFM) feedback to structural engineers on composite part design, tooling accessibility, bond joint design, and fastener patterns
- Implementing and enforcing cleanliness, foreign object debris (FOD) prevention, and contamination control procedures
- Leading non-conformance investigations and root cause corrective actions for structural build defects, dimensional discrepancies, tolerance stackups, and coating failures
- Defining and procuring tooling (drill jigs, assembly fixtures) to support production scaling
- Refining floor layouts and product flow for structural subassembly work cells to reduce travel time and improve throughput
- Coordinating with supply chain on incoming material inspection requirements for composite materials, adhesives, and structural raw stock
This is a hands-on role for someone who understands how parts are actually made and is energized by the challenge of scaling a complex aerospace manufacturing operation. The role is open at Engineer II and Senior levels, with leveling determined by candidate experience.
Requirements:
- B.S. in Mechanical or Materials Engineering, or related discipline (or equivalent professional experience, typically 1–3+ years)
- 3+ years of manufacturing experience with structural assembly or manufacturing (riveted or welded structures, machined metals, or composites and bonded structures)
- Strong understanding of structural static loads analysis and mechanical properties of materials and processes used to assemble riveted and bolted structures
- Hands-on experience assembling and fabricating structural assemblies (welding, adhesive bonding, riveting)
- Ability to read and interpret engineering drawings, GD&T callouts, and structural assembly models
- Experience writing and maintaining manufacturing process documentation and work instructions
- Strong problem-solving skills; able to diagnose structural build defects and drive corrective action through to closure
- Must be physically able to regularly lift 25 lbs., bend, stoop, and stand for extended periods while working directly with hardware
Preferred qualifications:
- M.S. degree in Mechanical Engineering specialized in Materials Science, Structural Analysis, or related discipline
- Experience manufacturing primary flight structures for launch vehicles, satellites, or reentry systems
- Familiarity with dynamic and vibrational loads analysis
- Background transitioning structural assemblies from R&D/prototype to rate production, including tooling qualification
- Knowledge of aerospace structural materials (aluminum alloys, titanium, steel) in a manufacturing context
- Experience with 3D CAD tools (CATIA, SolidWorks, NX) for tooling design and assembly model review
- Familiarity with first article inspection (FAI) processes and FAIR documentation requirements
- Prior experience at a new-space or defense prime where structural production cadence was actively being increased
Note: ITAR requirements apply. Varda only hires "U.S. persons" (U.S. citizens, lawful permanent residents, or individuals admitted as refugees or granted asylum) due to access to export-controlled items.
