Director of Propulsion Engineering

About the role

Varda is accelerating the development of commercial space infrastructure, focusing on in-orbit pharmaceutical processing and reliable reentry capsules. The Director of Propulsion Engineering will lead the propulsion engineering organization from concept through flight and vehicle recovery, setting technical direction and driving continuous improvement.

Responsibilities

• Own the propulsion engineering technology roadmap and capability development
• Lead propulsion engineering end-to-end — from concept development through design, build, test, flight, and vehicle recovery
• Set technical direction and drive continuous improvement of Varda's designs, processes, and flight operations
• Define project scope and engineering assignments with aggressive but achievable targets; hold the team accountable to both rigor and urgency
• Lead, manage, and grow a team of propulsion engineers and technical leads across all propulsion disciplines
• Establish and enforce engineering standards from project kickoff through flight closure — ensuring pace is driven by urgency, not at the expense of rigor
• Drive cross-functional alignment across engineering, manufacturing, test, launch operations, and flight teams to ensure propulsion development integrates seamlessly with vehicle architecture and program objectives
• Report and communicate propulsion engineering status, schedule, and critical path to senior leadership and across the interdisciplinary engineering organization

Qualifications

• B.S. in Aerospace Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Mathematics, Physics, or a closely related field; equivalent professional experience considered
• 8–14 years of experience in aerospace propulsion engineering for spacecraft or launch vehicles, spanning design, build, test, and flight
• 5+ years of engineering leadership or management experience
• Demonstrated experience on a team that has designed, built, and successfully flown aerospace hardware
• Proven ability to set and execute technical direction for a next-generation aerospace engineering team
• Experience working cross-functionally with engineering, production, and operations teams
• Strong fundamentals in fluid systems, propellant components, combustion devices, and/or mechanical systems
• Exceptional communication skills — written and verbal — and a collaborative, solutions-oriented approach
• First-principles thinking with a systems engineering mindset
• Willingness to work in a fast-paced, technically demanding environment
• Proficiency with CAD and PLM software