Spacecraft Technician (Avionics Satellite Harness Manufacturing)

About Varda

Low Earth orbit is open for business. Varda is accelerating the development of commercial space infrastructure, from in-orbit pharmaceutical processing to reliable and economical reentry capsules. Varda’s W-Series vehicles are built, designed, and operated by Varda in-house, including the pharmaceutical processing payloads, the capsules, the C-PICA heat shields, and the satellite buses.

From life-saving pharmaceuticals to more powerful fiber optics, there is a world of products used on Earth today that can only be manufactured in space. Varda is accelerating innovation in the orbital economy by creating both the products and infrastructure needed so space can directly benefit life on Earth. Our mission is to expand the economic bounds of humankind.

Our team is uniquely suited to accomplishing this goal, with leadership and staff comprised of veterans from SpaceX, Blue Origin, major pharmaceutical companies and Silicon Valley. Varda was founded in January 2021 by Will Bruey and Delian Asparouhov with significant backing from world class investors including Khosla Ventures, Lux Capital, Founders Fund, Caffeinated Capital, General Catalyst, and Also Capital.

Varda is headquartered in El Segundo, California, where we have offices and a production facility where our vehicles, equipment, and materials are built, integrated, and tested. Varda also has offices in Washington, DC and Huntsville, AL.

Join Varda, and work to create a bustling in-space ecosystem.

About This Role

The Spacecraft Technician ( Avionics Satellite Harness Manufacturing ) is responsible for manufacturing, assembling, inspecting, and testing electrical harnesses used on satellite bus, payload, and spacecraft systems. This role supports the production of flight-quality avionics hardware by following released drawings, schematics, wire lists, work instructions, and quality requirements.

The ideal candidate has strong hands-on experience with harness fabrication, connector assembly, crimping, soldering, continuity testing, and flight hardware workmanship standards. This position requires attention to detail, strong documentation, and the ability to work closely with Engineering, Quality, Test, and Production teams.

Key Responsibilities

Harness Manufacturing and Assembly

• Manufacture satellite electrical harnesses, cable assemblies, and wire bundles per released drawings and work instructions.
• Cut, strip, label, route, and terminate wires to required specifications.
• Perform crimping, soldering, splicing, shielding, grounding, and connector assembly.
• Install backshells, strain relief, sleeving, heat shrink, shielding, and identification labels.
• Maintain proper wire routing, bend radius, service loops, and separation requirements.
• Assemble harnesses using form boards, fixtures, and approved tooling.
• Support harness layout, mockup, and fit-check activities as needed.

Inspection and Testing

• Perform continuity, resistance, insulation resistance, and pin-to-pin verification testing.
• Use multimeters, hipot testers, breakout boxes, and test equipment as required.
• Verify wire identification, connector pinouts, shielding, grounding, and labeling.
• Inspect workmanship for damaged wire, improper crimps, solder defects, connector damage, and routing issues.
• Support in-process inspection, final inspection, and Quality buy-off.
• Document test results and build records accurately.

Documentation and Quality

• Complete work orders, inspection, and test documentation.
• Record serial numbers, lot numbers, tooling information, test results, and nonconformances.
• Follow configuration control and released engineering documentation.
• Identify drawing, bill of material, or work instruction issues and communicate them to Engineering and Quality.
• Support Issues, MRB, rework, repair, and root-cause activities as required.
• Maintain traceability for flight hardware, wire, connectors, consumables, and tooling.

Safety, Cleanliness, and Compliance

• Follow ESD, FOD, cleanroom, and contamination-control procedures.
• Maintain a clean and organized workstation.
• Use calibrated tools and approved materials.
• Follow all safety procedures when using soldering equipment, heat tools, chemicals, and electrical test equipment.
• Handle flight hardware with care and follow company workmanship standards.

Required Qualifications

• High school diploma, GED, technical school certificate, or equivalent hands-on experience.
• 5+ years of experience manufacturing electrical harnesses, cable assemblies, avionics hardware, or high-reliability wiring.
• Ability to read and understand:
  • Electrical schematics
  • Wire lists
  • Harness drawings
  • Connector pinout tables
  • Work instructions
  • Bill of materials
• Experience with crimping, soldering, wire stripping, connector assembly, and harness routing.
• Experience using hand tools, crimp tools, soldering tools, heat guns, multimeters, and basic electrical test equipment.
• Strong attention to detail and documentation accuracy.
• Ability to follow written instructions and quality requirements.
• Ability to work independently and within a team environment.

Preferred Qualifications

• Aerospace, satellite, spacecraft, defense or high-reliability electronics experience.
• Experience manufacturing flight harnesses or avionics cable assemblies.
• Knowledge of IPC/WHMA-A-620, J-STD-001, or NASA workmanship standards.
• Experience with ESD-controlled and cleanroom environments.
• Experience performing continuity, hipot, insulation resistance, and functional testing.
• Experience with D-sub, Micro-D, circular, coax, RF, or high-density connectors.
• Experience with shield terminations, drain wires, grounding, and backshell assembly.
• Familiarity with NCR, MRB, redlines, ECOs, and configuration control.
• Experience working with Engineering and Quality during first builds or prototype builds.

Required Skills

• Harness manufacturing and fabrication
• Wire cutting, stripping, and labeling
• Crimping and soldering
• Connector assembly
• Backshell installation
• Continuity and resistance testing
• ESD control
• FOD prevention
• Reading schematics and wire lists
• Work instruction compliance
• Flight hardware handling
• Strong communication
• Problem solving
• Schedule accountability

Physical Requirements

• Ability to sit or stand for extended periods while performing detailed harness work.
• Ability to use hand tools and small tools for precision assembly.
• Ability to lift up to 25–35 lbs as needed.
• Ability to work under magnification or with small connector pins and contacts.
• Ability to work in an ESD-controlled or cleanroom environment.
• Good hand-eye coordination and manual dexterity.

Work Environment

This role is performed in an aerospace manufacturing, avionics build, and satellite integration environment. Work may be performed at a bench, on form boards, in an ESD area, or near satellite flight hardware. Some overtime, weekend work, or schedule flexibility may be required to support production milestones.

Success Criteria

A successful Avionics Satellite Harness Manufacturing Technician will:

• Manufacture harnesses correctly the first time using released documentation.
• Maintain strong workmanship and flight-quality standards.
• Complete documentation clearly and accurately.
• Identify issues early and communicate them to Engineering, Quality, and Production.
• Protect hardware from damage, ESD, contamination, and FOD.
• Support production schedules while maintaining safety and quality.

Pay Range

Technician I: $30 to $34 per hour

Technician II: $34 to $40 per hour

Sr. Technician: $40 to $46 per hour

• Leveling and base salary is determined by job-related skills, education level, experience level, and job performance
• You will be eligible for incentives in the form of stock options and/or long-term cash awards

Benefits

Varda offers a comprehensive benefits package designed to support health, financial well‑being, and a high‑quality workplace experience. Below is an overview of what full‑time employees receive (at this time, interns receive a subset of benefits):

Health & Wellness

• Flexible PTO policy + 12 paid holidays
• 100% company-paid Medical, Dental, and Vision insurance plans for employees and dependents with FSA and employer-matched HSA options
• Voluntary accident, hospital, critical illness, and pet insurance
• $120/month wellness reimbursement for gym and fitness expenses
• 12 weeks of parental leave (with supplemental disability leave for CA mothers)
• Family building, pregnancy, parenting and menopause benefits via Maven Clinic
• Sponsored One Medical memberships for employees and their dependents

Financial & Retirement

• Substantial incentive equity in a fully funded space start-up
• 401(k) retirement plan with 6% employer match (immediately vested)
• $20/pay period cell phone reimbursement
• Relocation support for new hires, if needed

Workplace Experience & Perks

• Fully stocked kitchen with lunch provided daily and dinner provided twice weekly
• Company and team-bonding events, happy hours and mission-success celebrations
• Complimentary EV charging

ITAR Requirements

Varda, like all employers, must ensure that its employees working in the United States are lawfully authorized to work in the U.S. Additionally, our employees are exposed to and have access to certain export-controlled items. Because our employees are provided access to export-controlled items, our policy is to only hire “U.S. persons” who are permitted to have access to our technology without an export license.

“US person” means: U.S. citizen, U.S. lawful permanent resident, or protected individual as defined by 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3) (i.e., individual admitted to the U.S. as a refugee or granted asylum).

E-Verify Statement

Varda Space Industries, Inc. participates in the U.S. Department of Homeland Security E-Verify program. The E-Verify program is an Internet-based employment eligibility verification system operated by the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Learn more about the E-Verify program.

E-Verify Notice Right To Work Notice

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Varda Space Industries is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees. Candidates and employees are always evaluated based on merit, qualifications, and performance. We will never discriminate on the basis of race, color, gender, national origin, ethnicity, veteran status, disability status, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, martial status, mental or physical disability, or any other legally protected status.