Director of Avionics Hardware Development

About the role

Varda is accelerating the development of commercial space infrastructure, from in-orbit pharmaceutical processing to reliable and economical reentry capsules. The Director of Avionics Hardware Development will own all electrical hardware design, build, and test across every avionics subsystem - RF, Power, GNC, Compute, and I/O - for Varda's satellite bus, reentry capsule, and pharmaceutical payloads. This is a hands-on leadership role where your technical judgment and strategic decision-making directly determine mission success.

Responsibilities

• Technical Leadership
  • Own the end-to-end avionics hardware development program across all subsystems (RF, power electronics, digital/compute, GNC sensors and actuators, I/O, and harnessing)
  • Drive hardware from concept through schematic and layout review, prototyping, environmental qualification (thermal, vibe, shock, TVAC, EMI), and flight acceptance
  • Define the hardware and technology roadmap - maximize reuse, drive common circuit implementations across subsystems, and increase development speed through simplification
  • Establish and enforce design rules, review gates, and development processes that ensure consistency and quality as the team and mission cadence scale
  • Collaborate cross-functionally with flight software, GNC, structures, thermal, integration & test, and mission operations to define system architecture and resolve interface challenges
  • Anchor hardware designs to derived requirements and engineering objectives, perform trades and analyses (link budgets, power models, EMC assessments) to retire risk early
• Production & Scaling
  • Hit Varda production milestones to maintain and increase mission cadence
  • Build and advocate for infrastructure to support environmental testing, component qualification, and manufacturing at scale
  • Develop robust work instructions, test software suites, and reliable test execution to transition designs from development to repeatable, high-rate production
• Team Building & Mentorship
  • Grow and lead the avionics hardware team - recruit top talent, set team structure, and allocate resources to meet company objectives
  • Mentor engineers at all levels, investing in their technical development and career growth
  • Foster a collaborative, high-ownership culture where engineers operate with autonomy and urgency

Qualifications

• Required:
  • Bachelor's degree in electrical engineering, aerospace engineering, or a related field
  • 10+ years of experience developing electronic hardware for mission-critical applications in harsh environments (space, aviation, defense, or robotics)
  • Demonstrated experience leading and managing multi-disciplinary hardware engineering teams (5+ direct/indirect reports)
  • Deep technical fluency across at least three of: power electronics, compute, RF, mixed-signal design, or GNC sensor and actuators
  • Track record driving hardware through the full product lifecycle - from requirements and architecture through qualification, manufacturing, and operations
  • Experience with environmental test campaigns (thermal cycling, TVAC, vibe, shock, EMI/EMC) and space qualification standards
• PREFERRED:
  • Experience at a high-cadence aerospace organization
  • Hands-on experience with spacecraft avionics systems - flight computers, power distribution, RF communications, GPS, IMUs, reaction wheels, or similar
  • Experience scaling a hardware team or product line from prototype to production volumes

Pay Range

Salary range: $192,500-$245,971

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 long-term 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

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.

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

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, marital status, mental or physical disability, or any other legally protected status.