Senior Automation And Controls Software Engineer Software

Senior Automation and Controls Software Engineer Location: El Segundo, California, United States Compensation: $140,000 – $216,000 USD per year About Varda Varda is a space infrastructure company focused on developing commercial space hardware and associated systems. The team includes engineers from SpaceX, Blue Origin, and other leading high‑tech firms. About This Role As a Senior Automation and Controls Software Engineer, you will design, build, and maintain test systems and ground support equipment for flight‑hardware qualification and manufacturing. You will work across software, electrical, and mechanical domains to provide robust testing solutions for spacecraft development and manufacturing operations. Responsibilities Design, build, and maintain test systems and ground support equipment for flight hardware qualification and manufacturing. Integrate with a wide range of external hardware: thermal vacuum chambers, ovens, chillers, pressure systems, data acquisition hardware, and instrumentation. Develop and extend the internal PLC framework and EtherCAT tooling. Contribute to architecture decisions on real‑time control implementation, evaluating PLC‑based (TwinCAT 3) vs. Linux‑based approaches for high‑frequency control applications. Build cabinets, wire panels, and own systems end‑to‑end from electrical design through commissioning. Partner with propulsion, avionics, GNC, and manufacturing teams to deliver test infrastructure that meets their needs on aggressive timelines. Demonstrate sustainable engineering practices that onboard new engineers to the tech stack and maintain production systems. Basic Qualifications BS in Electrical, Computer, Mechanical Engineering, or a related field. 5+ years of industry experience in test automation, controls, or industrial automation. Strong Python skills, particularly for hardware control or test automation applications. Hands‑on experience integrating with industrial hardware over protocols such as EtherCAT, Modbus (TCP/TRU), serial (RS‑232/485), or similar. Experience with at least one modern PLC ecosystem, ideally Beckhoff TwinCAT 3 with structured text (IEC 61131‑3) or a willingness to develop deep expertise. Comfort working across the stack: writing control software, designing electrical panels, wiring cabinets, debugging hardware. Ability to thrive in a fast‑paced startup environment where priorities shift and ownership of problems is expected. Preferred Skills and Experience Experience with custom or in‑house control frameworks. EtherCAT experience beyond consumer‑level usage: DC sync, ENI configuration, master implementation, or driver‑level work. Production experience with TwinCAT 3, structured text, and the broader IEC 61131‑3 languages. Experience designing deterministic, hard real‑time control loops (sub‑millisecond cycle times). Understanding of when to use real‑time PLC code vs. higher‑level orchestration in Python, and the tradeoffs involved. Bare‑metal or embedded firmware experience. Experience with Docker and DevOps tooling for test infrastructure deployment. Experience with time‑series data acquisition and visualization (Grafana, InfluxDB, or similar). Aerospace experience, particularly spacecraft testing or GSE development. Environmental test experience: TVAC, thermal cycling, vibration. Hands‑on experience with high‑pressure gas or fluid systems. Experience developing propulsion test stands or other complex test infrastructure. Familiarity with spacecraft qualification standards. Experience developing safety‑related control systems and evaluating proposed solutions for reducing safety‑related risks. Pay Range Salary range: $140,000 – $216,000 annually. This role is on‑site in El Segundo, CA. Leveling and base salary are 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 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. Dog‑friendly office space. 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. Because employees are exposed to and have access to certain export‑controlled items, our current policy is to only hire ‘U.S. persons’ who are permitted to have access to our technology without an export license. ‘U.S. 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 in the U.S.). 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 system for verifying employment eligibility. #J-18808-Ljbffr jobs.frontdoordefense.com - Jobboard