Manufacturing Engineer II (Integration)

About the role

Varda is a space technology company focused on developing commercial space infrastructure. Our W-Series vehicles, including pharmaceutical processing payloads, reentry capsules, heat shields, and satellite buses, are designed and built in-house. We aim to accelerate innovation in the orbital economy by providing essential products and infrastructure that can benefit life on Earth.

Responsibilities

• Own spacecraft integration sequences and procedures from subassembly mating through final vehicle closeout and acceptance
• Develop, maintain, and continuously improve assembly travelers and integration work instructions that sequence all subsystem interfaces correctly
• Serve as the primary interface between manufacturing and all engineering disciplines (structures, propulsion, avionics, TPS) during vehicle integration
• Identify and resolve interface conflicts, clearance issues, and assembly sequence problems before they impact build schedule
• Lead integration readiness reviews and ensure all pre-integration checkpoints (cleanliness, FOD sweeps, torque records, pin-to-pin checks) are completed and documented
• Drive root cause analysis and RCCAs for integration non-conformances; disposition MRBs in coordination with design engineering
• Track integration metrics (planned vs. actual cycle time, NCR rates, rework hours) and implement targeted improvements to hit cadence goals
• Define tooling and lifting/handling equipment requirements for safe vehicle integration operations

Qualifications

• B.S. in Mechanical or Systems Engineering, or a related discipline, with 1–3+ years of experience
• 3+ years of experience in vehicle or system-level integration roles or final assembly within aerospace, defense, robotics or similar industries
• Strong understanding of how multiple subsystems interface within a vehicle assembly
• Experience developing and executing complex assembly or integration procedures
• Exceptional communication and coordination skills across multi-discipline teams
• Must be physically able to regularly lift 25 lbs., bend, stoop, and stand for extended periods while working directly with flight hardware

Preferred Skills and Experience

• M.S. degree in Mechanical Engineering or Electrical Engineering specialized in Embedded Systems, Mechatronics, Control Theory, or similar, or related discipline
• Experience as a lead integration engineer or integration ME on a launch vehicle, satellite, or spacecraft program
• Familiarity with integration and test (I&T) flows for complex aerospace vehicles, including functional testing at each integration milestone
• Background managing integration of flight hardware from multiple subsystem suppliers or internal teams into a single vehicle
• Experience with configuration management and build record documentation in a regulated aerospace environment
• Knowledge of cleanliness and contamination control requirements for propulsion, optical, or precision mechanism integration
• Hands-on experience with vehicle handling — cranes, slings, rotation fixtures, and precision alignment tooling
• Prior work in a manufacturing environment actively scaling from unit builds to multi-vehicle concurrent production
• Experience conducting integration readiness reviews, pre-mate inspections, and post-integration functional checkouts