Principal Mechanisms Engineer - Payloads

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

As a Principal Mechanisms Engineer on Varda’s Payload team, you will define and lead the development of complex electromechanical flight hardware that operates in orbit, endures hypersonic reentry, and returns to Earth for inspection and iteration. You will shape payload architecture across pharmaceutical manufacturing and hypersonic reentry testbed missions—guiding systems from early concept through detailed design, integration, testing, launch, and recovery. You’ll work closely with internal leadership and external partners, translating mission needs into engineering strategy and technical direction. This role is ideal for engineers with deep mechanical expertise and broad cross-disciplinary insight who want to influence system architecture, lead multi-mission efforts, and mentor engineers while delivering complex hardware on rapid flight timelines.

Responsibilities

• Define architecture, requirements, and development plans for multi-payload or multi-mission systems
• Lead complex mechanism and electromechanical subsystem design efforts
• Drive system-level analyses, trade studies, and risk reduction using a variety of tools (hand calcs, python/matlab models, FEA, etc. as needed)
• Lead cross-functional project teams across avionics, software, thermal, systems, integration
• Represent Varda to senior internal leadership and external partners
• Drive subsystem requirements, ICDs, verification plans, and documentation
• Lead build, integration, testing, mission operations, recovery, and anomaly resolution
• Guide lessons-learned processes and influence payload development cycles
• Mentor senior and entry-level engineers and shape best practices

Basic Qualifications

• BS/BEng in Mechanical, Aerospace, Mechatronics, or related field
• 7+ years of experience designing, integrating, testing, and troubleshooting electromechanical hardware
• Deep mechanical expertise with breadth in at least two adjacent disciplines (avionics, software, thermal, optics, test, etc.)
• Track record leading teams through full cycle electromechanical space flight hardware development
• Experience communicating with diverse technical and executive audiences, both internal and external

Preferred Skills And Experience

• 3+ years of cross-functional project leadership experience
• Significant experience planning and executing aerospace environmental testing (vibration, TVAC, EMI/EMC)
• Experience leading government-facing technical programs
• Active Secret or Top Secret clearance

Pay Range

• Salary range: $181,913 - $232,444/per year
• This role is on-site in El Segundo, CA
• 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

Consider your benefits covered for launch. At Varda, we invest in benefits and perks that support your health, financial well-being, and life beyond work. Benefits vary by position, with packages designed specifically for our regular full-time employees and interns.

Regular Full-Time Positions:

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

Benefits for Internship Positions:

Health & Wellness

• Paid observed holidays.

• 100% company-paid Medical, Dental, and Vision insurance plans for employees and dependents with FSA and employer-matched HSA options.

• $120/month wellness reimbursement for gym and fitness expenses.

• Sponsored One Medical memberships for employees and their dependents.

Financial

• $20/pay period cell phone reimbursement.

• Up to $4,000 gross up in relocation support, if eligible

• Up to $850 commute credit through Lyft or car rental reimbursement, if eligible.

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.