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Salary: USD 140,333 - 179,314 / annual
Varda Space Industries is accelerating commercial space infrastructure development, including in-orbit pharmaceutical processing and reentry capsules. The company designs, builds, and operates W-Series vehicles in-house, including propulsion systems, heat shields, and satellite buses. Varda is headquartered in El Segundo, CA with additional offices in Washington, DC and Huntsville, AL.
As Senior Manufacturing Engineer (Propulsion), you will scale manufacturing operations from bespoke vehicles to consistent, concurrent builds. You will own end-to-end manufacturing processes for propulsion system production, including valve assembly, tube fabrication, pressure vessel integration, and engine integration. This role is critical to increasing Varda's build cadence and implementing incremental improvements across every vehicle produced.
Key responsibilities include:
- Own manufacturing processes for high-pressure fluid systems and propulsion hardware from tube shop operations through acceptance testing
- Develop and maintain work instructions, process traveler documents, and process specifications
- Provide technical direction to improve propulsion build processes and drive increased vehicle production cadence
- Implement and enforce propulsion-specific cleanliness protocols, contamination control procedures, and propellant compatibility requirements
- Lead root cause analysis and corrective actions (RCCA) for propulsion non-conformances, including leak events, contamination findings, and assembly defects
- Define tooling and test equipment requirements for tube shop operations, leak checks, and propulsion acceptance testing
- Collaborate with design engineers and supply chain to prevent schedule delays and resolve incoming hardware quality issues
- Refine propulsion work cell layouts and product flow to support cadence increase and concurrent vehicle builds
You will work directly with design engineers and technicians across the full range of processes required to manufacture spacecraft vehicles. The role requires hands-on involvement with flight hardware and the ability to diagnose and resolve complex propulsion system issues.
Note: This role requires U.S. person status (U.S. citizen, lawful permanent resident, or protected individual as defined by 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3)) due to ITAR export control requirements. The company participates in E-Verify.
REQUIREMENTS:
- B.S. in Mechanical, Manufacturing, or related discipline, with consideration given to equivalent professional experience (typically 3–6+ years)
- 3+ years of manufacturing experience with propulsion systems, fluid systems, or high-pressure hardware in aerospace or related industry
- Hands-on experience with tube fabrication, tube bending, tube fitting installation, and high-pressure fluid system assembly
- Familiarity with propulsion system cleanliness requirements, cleanliness verification methods, and contamination control procedures
- Experience reading and interpreting engineering drawings, P&IDs, and assembly models for fluid systems
- Strong first principles problem-solving capability; able to diagnose propulsion build defects and drive corrective action to closure
- Must be physically able to regularly lift 25 lbs., bend, stoop, and stand for extended periods while working directly with flight hardware
PREFERRED SKILLS:
- M.S. degree in Mechanical Engineering specialized in Fluid Mechanics, Process Engineering, or related discipline
- Experience manufacturing and assembling propulsion systems for launch vehicles, spacecraft, or hypersonic vehicles, including valve assembly and pressure vessel integration
- Experience with high pressure fluid systems testing or qualification of assemblies including energetics and explosives
- Experience with materials including metals, composites, and plastics for use in propulsion systems
- Experience with manufacturing methods relevant to propulsion systems, including welding, orbital welding, machining and additive manufacturing
- Experience with NDE, including ultrasonic testing, dye penetrant, x-ray and others
- Prior work transitioning propulsion assemblies from development to production environments with increasing build rate
- Familiarity with hazardous materials handling and safety protocols associated with propellant loading and propulsion acceptance testing
