Environmental Test Lab Manager

About the role

Varda is building the infrastructure for in-space manufacturing and routine return from orbit. As Environmental Test Lab Manager, you will lead the facilities responsible for proving our spacecraft can survive launch, spaceflight, and return to Earth. This is a hands-on leadership role focused on executing fast, rigorous environmental test campaigns that keep flight hardware moving and missions on track.

Responsibilities

• Lead day-to-day environmental test lab operations for spacecraft and vehicle hardware
• Plan and execute vibration, shock, thermal, and thermal vacuum test campaigns
• Partner with design, production, integration, and mission teams to define test requirements and priorities
• Build and improve lab processes, procedures, safety practices, and test readiness standards
• Manage lab technicians and test engineers while driving high standards for execution and documentation
• Own equipment readiness, calibration, maintenance, and lab capacity planning
• Support anomaly resolution, failure investigations, and test report generation
• Career Development
• Coordinate outside test support when needed

Qualifications

• Basic Qualifications
• Bachelor’s degree in engineering or a related technical field
• 5+ years of environmental test experience on aerospace or other high-reliability hardware
• Experience with vibe, shock, thermal cycling, and TVAC testing
• Strong leadership, organization, and cross-functional communication skills
• Ability to move quickly and make sound decisions around flight hardware
• Preferred Qualifications
• Experience testing spacecraft, reentry systems, or launch vehicle hardware
• Familiarity with qualification and acceptance testing in aerospace
• Background with additional test methods such as EMI/EMC, acoustics, leak, or pressure testing
• Experience scaling lab operations in a fast-paced hardware company