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Salary: USD 140,333 - 202,703 / annual
Varda Space Industries is accelerating commercial space infrastructure development, including in-orbit pharmaceutical processing and reentry capsules. The company designs, builds, and operates its W-Series vehicles in-house, including pharmaceutical processing payloads, capsules, C-PICA 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 for Thermal Protection Systems (TPS), you will own the manufacturing processes for ablative and insulative materials that protect reentry capsules during the most demanding phase of mission—reentry. TPS manufacturing is one of the most technically specialized disciplines in aerospace, requiring deep expertise in ablative material processing, bonding, tiling, and surface preparation.
Key Responsibilities:
- Own manufacturing processes for thermal protection system production: ablative tile/panel preparation, bonding, densification, and closeout operations
- Develop and maintain detailed work instructions, process travelers, and process specifications for all TPS fabrication and installation operations
- Implement surface preparation, adhesive application, and cure cycle procedures that meet TPS bond strength and thermal performance requirements
- Collaborate with TPS design engineers to provide design-for-manufacturability feedback on tile geometry, bond joint design, and tooling access
- Define inspection and verification methods for TPS bonds, surface finish, and dimensional conformance; integrate quality gates into production workflows
- Lead root cause analysis and corrective actions for TPS non-conformances, including bond voids, tile cracking, and surface contamination
- Develop and control environmental conditioning requirements (temperature, humidity) for TPS materials storage and processing areas
- Assess and procure TPS-specific tooling: bonding fixtures, tile templates, surface preparation tooling, and handling equipment
This is a rare opportunity to own a critical, high-visibility manufacturing domain at a company that is already demonstrating reentry capability on orbit. The role is open at L2 and Senior levels, with leveling determined based on candidate experience.
QUALIFICATIONS:
Required:
- B.S. in Materials Science, Mechanical, Aerospace, Chemical, or Manufacturing Engineering, or related discipline; equivalent professional experience (typically 3–6+ years) considered
- 3+ years of manufacturing experience with thermal protection systems, composite materials, or advanced material bonding in aerospace or defense
- Hands-on experience with ablative or reusable TPS materials: PICA, AVCOAT, SLA-561, cork composites, ceramic tiles, or equivalent
- Experience with adhesive bonding processes, surface preparation methods, and cure cycle control for structural or TPS bonds
- Ability to read and interpret engineering drawings and TPS assembly models; familiarity with GD&T as applied to complex surface geometries
- Experience writing and maintaining manufacturing process documentation for specialized materials operations
- Must be physically able to regularly lift 25 lbs., bend, stoop, and stand for extended periods while working directly with hardware
Preferred:
- Direct experience manufacturing TPS for reentry vehicles, hypersonic glide vehicles, or planetary entry capsules
- Familiarity with TPS inspection methods: visual inspection, tap testing, NDE methods applicable to bonded ceramic or ablative tiles
- Knowledge of TPS material properties—ablation rates, density gradients, outgassing behavior—and their manufacturing implications
- Experience with environmental controls and material handling requirements for moisture-sensitive TPS materials
- Background in transitioning TPS manufacturing from bespoke development builds to repeatable, documented production processes
- Experience with robotic or semi-automated TPS tile application processes
- Familiarity with reentry thermal analysis and how TPS design margins translate into manufacturing quality requirements
- Prior work at a company with demonstrated reentry or hypersonic vehicle flight heritage
Note: ITAR requirements apply. Must be a U.S. person (U.S. citizen, U.S. lawful permanent resident, or protected individual as defined by 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3)).
