SlipstreamJobs tracks this role from the company's public career site. Apply directly on the employer's site.
Salary: USD 180,000 - 230,000 / annual
Varda Space Industries is building commercial space infrastructure, including in-orbit pharmaceutical processing systems, reentry capsules, and satellite buses. As Principal Mechanisms Engineer on the Payload team, you will define and lead development of complex electromechanical flight hardware that operates in orbit, survives hypersonic reentry, and returns to Earth for inspection and iteration.
You will shape payload architecture across pharmaceutical manufacturing and hypersonic reentry testbed missions, guiding systems from early concept through detailed design, integration, testing, launch, and recovery. Key responsibilities include: defining architecture and requirements for multi-payload/multi-mission systems; leading complex mechanism and electromechanical subsystem design; driving system-level analyses and trade studies using hand calculations, Python/MATLAB models, and FEA; leading cross-functional teams across avionics, software, thermal, systems, and integration; representing Varda to senior leadership and external partners; developing subsystem requirements, interface control documents, and verification plans; overseeing build, integration, testing, mission operations, recovery, and anomaly resolution; guiding lessons-learned processes; and mentoring senior and entry-level engineers.
Required: BS/BEng in Mechanical, Aerospace, Mechatronics, or related field; 7+ years designing, integrating, testing, and troubleshooting electromechanical hardware; deep mechanical expertise with breadth in at least two adjacent disciplines (avionics, software, thermal, optics, test); track record leading teams through full-cycle electromechanical space flight hardware development; and experience communicating with diverse technical and executive audiences.
Preferred: 3+ years cross-functional project leadership; significant aerospace environmental testing experience (vibration, TVAC, EMI/EMC); experience leading government-facing technical programs; active Secret or Top Secret clearance.
Varda was founded in 2021 by Will Bruey and Delian Asparouhov, backed by Khosla Ventures, Lux Capital, Founders Fund, and others. The company is headquartered in El Segundo with offices in Washington, DC and Huntsville, AL.
