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Salary: USD 140,333 - 179,314 / annual
Varda Space Industries is seeking a Senior Aerodynamics and Flight Mechanics Engineer to support operation of current vehicles and development of next-generation reentry vehicles—from rarefied entry through hypersonic maneuvering to subsonic terminal approach. You will own the aerodynamic and aeroheating database development across the full flight envelope, serving as the authoritative aeroscience input to guidance, navigation & control (GNC), thermal protection system (TPS) sizing, and mission analysis.
Key responsibilities include:
- Plan, execute, and reduce data from wind tunnel campaigns; reconcile ground test results with CFD predictions and update vehicle databases with traceable, well-documented revisions
- Run high-fidelity CFD and DSMC simulations of hypersonic and subsonic flows using tools such as Fun3D, LAURA, DPLR, US3D, SPARTA, DAC, and CBAero; build structured and unstructured meshes in Pointwise
- Characterize static and dynamic stability, develop 6DOF simulation inputs, and contribute to flight rules and vehicle-level performance models
- Synthesize aerodynamic evidence from CFD, wind tunnel, and flight telemetry into a coherent, traceable database supporting GNC, TPS sizing, and mission analysis
- Lead post-flight aerodynamic reconstruction and performance assessments; identify where preflight predictions diverged from reality and drive model updates for future missions
- Collaborate across disciplines (GNC, structures, TPS, mission planning) to deliver flight-ready aeroscience products and serve as the aerodynamics voice in cross-discipline design discussions
Varda is a venture-backed space infrastructure company founded in 2021, headquartered in El Segundo with offices in Washington, DC and Huntsville, AL. The company designs, builds, and operates W-Series vehicles in-house, including pharmaceutical processing payloads, reentry capsules, C-PICA heat shields, and satellite buses. Leadership and staff include veterans from SpaceX, Blue Origin, major pharmaceutical companies, and Silicon Valley. Investors include Khosla Ventures, Lux Capital, Founders Fund, Caffeinated Capital, General Catalyst, and Also Capital.
QUALIFICATIONS:
Basic Requirements:
- BS degree in engineering or physics with 6+ years of relevant industry experience, OR relevant PhD with 3+ years of relevant industry experience
- Meaningful contribution to the aerodynamic development of a hypersonic vehicle that has flown or is on track to fly within the next 5 years
- Experience analyzing aerodynamic data from test, CFD, flight, and other sources and documenting findings rigorously
- Experience running CFD and DSMC simulations of hypersonic and subsonic flows (Fun3D, LAURA, DPLR, US3D, SPARTA, DAC, CBAero)
- Comfortable building structured and unstructured meshes in Pointwise
- Proficiency in MATLAB or Python
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills with demonstrated ability to translate complex aeroscience findings for cross-disciplinary audiences
- Ability to obtain and maintain a security clearance; U.S. citizenship required
Preferred Skills and Experience:
- Advanced degree in Aerospace or Mechanical Engineering, specializing in aerodynamics or fluid mechanics
- Hands-on wind tunnel campaign experience, including test planning, execution, and data reduction
- Direct ownership of aerodynamic and aeroheating databases for a flying vehicle
- Familiarity with modeling vehicle dynamics in POST2 or similar 6DOF tools
- Experience sizing ablative or non-ablative TPS
- Experience with flight reconstruction and post-flight performance evaluations
- Technical breadth in adjacent disciplines (GNC, avionics, software, structures)
