Mechanisms Engineer - Payloads

About the role

Varda is seeking a Mechanisms Engineer to join the Payload team. This role involves developing electromechanical flight hardware that operates in orbit, endures hypersonic reentry, and returns to Earth for inspection and iteration. Key responsibilities include owning payload hardware from concept through design, integration, launch, reentry, and recovery; designing mechanisms, structures, thermal/fluid interfaces, and electromechanical assemblies; performing structural, thermal, and fluid analyses; building, instrumenting, and testing prototypes and flight hardware; collaborating with internal specialists and external partners; and generating documentation and supporting mission operations.

Responsibilities

• Own payload hardware from concept through design, integration, launch, reentry, and recovery
• Design mechanisms, structures, thermal/fluid interfaces, and electromechanical assemblies
• Run structural, thermal, and fluid analyses (hand calcs, simplified models, and FEA as needed)
• Build, instrument, and test prototypes and flight hardware
• Work across avionics, software, thermal, systems, and integration teams to define interfaces and ensure compatibility
• Serve as the primary technical point of contact for assigned payloads
• Generate documentation: requirements, ICDs, procedures, test reports
• Support mission operations and post-flight teardown
• Contribute to lessons learned and continuous improvement

Qualifications

• BS/BEng in Mechanical, Aerospace, Mechatronics, or related engineering discipline
• Strong fundamentals in structures, heat transfer, fluids, and dynamics
• Hands-on experience designing, integrating, testing, and troubleshooting electromechanical hardware
• Effective communication skills across disciplines

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience integrating electromechanical actuators, sensors, thermal control hardware and/or fluid control hardware
• Experience using CAD (NX preferred) and FEA (Ansys, Nastran)
• Exposure to aerospace environmental testing (vibration, TVAC, EMI/EMC)
• Customer-facing technical communication experience

Basic Qualifications

• Experience with customer-facing technical communication
• Ability to obtain a government security clearance

Pay Range

• Engineer I: $104,000.00 - $122,000.00/per year
• Engineer II: $119,000.00 - $153,000.00/per year

Benefits

• Health & Wellness
• Flexible PTO policy + 12 paid holidays
• 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
• 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
• Company and team-bonding events, happy hours and mission-success celebrations
• Complimentary EV charging
• ITAR Requirements
• E-Verify Statement
• Varda Space Industries, Inc. participates in the U.S. Department of Homeland Security E-Verify program.

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.
• 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.
• 'US 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).

E-Verify Notice

• 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.

Right To Work Notice

• Read more
• 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.