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Salary: USD 140,333 - 179,314 / annual
Varda Space Industries is building commercial space infrastructure, including in-orbit pharmaceutical processing vehicles, reentry capsules, and satellite buses. The company designs, manufactures, and operates its W-Series vehicles end-to-end, with headquarters and production facilities in El Segundo, CA, plus offices in Washington, DC and Huntsville, AL.
The Senior Spacecraft Systems Engineer, Avionics will oversee the design, integration, and testing of avionics systems for Varda's Winnebago Spaceship. This role ensures all systems are mission-ready for both launch and operational phases, requiring deep expertise in avionics system design, manufacturing processes, and operational protocols.
Key Responsibilities:
- Collaborate with cross-functional teams to define project scopes and initial requirements, guiding designs from concept through prototype to full-scale production.
- Develop electrical architecture, system diagrams, and budgets accounting for power, telemetry, channel count, size, and mass predictions to align vehicle solutions with company-level objectives.
- Analyze architecture for potential faults and risks; develop comprehensive mitigation plans and Fault Detection Isolation and Recovery (FDIR) strategies.
- Conduct comprehensive verification plans for avionics systems on flight and Hardware-In-The-Loop (HITL) hardware, ensuring readiness for launch and compliance with mission objectives for space and reentry operations.
- Participate in mission operations as an avionics specialist or system operator, determining system health and suggesting corrective actions for reentry commit criteria.
- Oversee integration of Winnebago avionics systems, serving as the primary point of contact for integrated systems investigations.
- Design, build, and operate HITL testbeds that simulate the spacecraft on the ground to ensure mission readiness.
- Develop avionics ground infrastructure, support design and integration of test racks and R&D equipment used to power and communicate with flight vehicles.
- Mentor and train new engineers, fostering a culture of learning and continuous improvement.
Requirements:
- Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Science, or related technical field.
- 5+ years of experience in system design, test planning, and validation.
- Proficiency in Python programming and debugging.
- Experience with power supplies, modular DAQ systems, RTD and 4-20mA devices, and general test equipment.
Preferred Skills and Experience:
- Proven experience taking vehicle electrical systems from concept to operational production.
- Prior experience setting up HITL testbeds, managing configuration control, and conducting system-level tests.
- Familiarity with Unix environments and command-line utilities.
- Experience developing test cases and test equipment to meet vehicle operating conditions.
- Strong project or program management skills.
- Relevant prior roles: Avionics Hardware Engineer, FPGA Engineer, Electronics Test Engineer, or Electrical Systems Engineer.
Note: ITAR requirements apply. Only U.S. persons (U.S. citizens, lawful permanent residents, or individuals admitted as refugees/granted asylum) are eligible due to access to export-controlled items.
