SlipstreamJobs tracks this role from the company's public career site. Apply directly on the employer's site.
Salary: USD 105,000 - 152,749 / annual
Varda Space Industries is seeking a Spacecraft Systems Engineer to join the Mission Assurance team in a flight safety analyst and reentry compliance role. You will produce Flight Safety Analysis and regulatory strategy required for FAA Part 450 and Range Safety licensing, bridging complex engineering trades with regulatory approval processes.
Key Responsibilities:
- Perform flight safety analyses for each mission, focusing on failure mode trajectory modeling and debris field containment
- Execute technical regulatory strategy, Methods of Compliance, and safety cases for FAA launch and reentry authorizations
- Complete vehicle-level functional hazard analyses (FHA) and failure mode and effect analyses (FMEA)
- Act as the Flight Safety responsible engineer during mission rehearsals and live recovery operations
- Establish technical safety limits and mission rules for real-time on-console operations
- Deliver vehicle-level regulatory documentation to support mission reentry licenses and authorizations
Varda designs and operates its W-Series vehicles in-house, including pharmaceutical processing payloads, reentry capsules, C-PICA heat shields, and satellite buses. The company is backed by leading investors including Khosla Ventures, Lux Capital, and Founders Fund, with leadership and staff from SpaceX, Blue Origin, major pharmaceutical companies, and Silicon Valley. Varda is headquartered in El Segundo with additional offices in Washington, DC and Huntsville, AL.
Requirements:
- Bachelor's degree in aerospace, mechanical, electrical, manufacturing, systems engineering, or related field
- Demonstrated ownership and execution of a complex engineering project from cradle-to-grave
- Excellent communication skills with ability to influence cross-functional teams and present to executives, customers, and regulators
- Strong experience with risk management methodologies and tools (FMEA, FHA, Fault Tree Analysis)
- Experience with integration of interdisciplinary systems in the aerospace industry
Preferred Skills and Experience:
- Demonstrated experience with FAA Part 450, expected casualty modeling, trajectory dispersion, and/or debris analysis
- Demonstrated safety-critical mission operations in aviation or space applications
- Proven experience navigating FCC Part 25 (Commercial) or Part 5 (Experimental) licensing processes for satellite and reentry communications
- Dedicated to adopting a lean approach to quality without compromising safety or reliability
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 access to export-controlled items.
