Senior Terrestrial Automation and Controls Engineer

About Varda

Varda is accelerating the development of commercial space infrastructure, from in‑orbit pharmaceutical processing to reliable and economical re‑entry capsules. Its W‑Series vehicles are built, designed, and operated in‑house, including pharmaceutical processing payloads, capsules, C‑PICA heat shields, and satellite buses. Varda creates both the products and infrastructure needed for an orbital economy that directly benefits life on Earth. Founded in January 2021, Varda is headquartered in El Segundo, California, with additional offices in Washington, DC and Huntsville, AL.

About This Role

The Senior Automation and Controls Engineer builds bespoke test infrastructure that qualifies spaceflight hardware for orbit. This role designs, builds, and owns sophisticated ground support equipment (GSE) and test systems such as propulsion test stands, environmental qualification chambers, and spacecraft‑level integration testing. The engineer will influence architecture decisions and define standards that endure beyond individual programs.

Responsibilities

• Design, build, and maintain test systems and GSE for flight hardware qualification and manufacturing operations.
• Integrate with external hardware including thermal vacuum chambers, ovens, chillers, pressure systems, data acquisition hardware, and precision instrumentation.
• Develop and extend Varda’s internal PLC framework and EtherCAT tooling to support evolving program needs.
• Contribute to architecture decisions on real‑time control implementation, evaluating PLC‑based (TwinCAT 3) versus Linux‑based approaches for high‑frequency control.
• Build cabinets, wire panels, and own systems end‑to‑end from electrical design through commissioning.
• Partner with propulsion, avionics, GNC, and manufacturing teams to deliver test infrastructure on aggressive timelines.
• Champion sustainable engineering practices that enable new engineers to ramp quickly on the tech stack and maintain production systems reliably.

Basic Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering or a related technical field.
• 5+ years of industry experience in test automation, controls, and/or industrial automation.
• Hands‑on experience integrating with industrial hardware over protocols such as EtherCAT, Modbus (TCP/RTU), RS‑232/485 serial, or similar.
• Experience with at least one modern PLC ecosystem – ideally Beckhoff TwinCAT 3 with structured text (IEC 61131‑3) – or a demonstrated eagerness to develop deep expertise.
• Comfort working across the full stack: designing electrical panels, wiring cabinets, debugging hardware, and writing control software.
• Proven ability to thrive in a fast‑paced startup environment where priorities shift and end‑to‑end ownership is expected.

Preferred Skills and Experience

• Strong intuition for when to use real‑time PLC code versus higher‑level Python orchestration and understanding of the trade‑offs.
• Experience with custom or in‑house control frameworks rather than solely vendor‑provided stacks.
• Advanced EtherCAT expertise – including DC sync, ENI configuration, master implementation, or driver‑level work.
• Production experience with TwinCAT 3, structured text, and the broader IEC 61131‑3 language suite.
• Designing deterministic, hard real‑time control loops with sub‑millisecond cycle times.
• Familiarity with time‑series data acquisition and visualization tools such as Grafana, InfluxDB, or similar.
• Aerospace experience, particularly in spacecraft testing or GSE development.
• Environmental test experience, including TVAC, thermal cycling, and vibration testing.
• Hands‑on experience with high‑pressure gas or fluid systems.
• Experience developing propulsion test stands or other complex, multi‑subsystem test infrastructure.
• Familiarity with spacecraft qualification standards and associated documentation requirements.
• Experience developing safety‑related control systems and evaluating solutions to reduce safety risks.

Pay

Salary range for senior level: $140,333 – $179,314 per year. The role is on‑site in El Segundo, CA. Compensation includes eligibility for stock options and/or long‑term cash awards.

Benefits

• Health & Wellness: Flexible PTO, 12 paid holidays, 100% company‑paid medical, dental, and vision insurance for employees and dependents, FSA and employer‑matched HSA options, voluntary accident/hospital/critical illness/pet insurance, $120/month wellness reimbursement, 12 weeks parental leave (with supplemental disability for CA mothers), family‑building and menopause benefits via Maven Clinic, sponsored One Medical memberships.
• Financial & Retirement: Substantial equity incentive, 401(k) with 6% employer match (immediately vested), $20 per pay period cell‑phone reimbursement, relocation support for new hires.
• Workplace Experience & Perks: Fully stocked kitchen with daily lunch and twice‑weekly dinner, company and team‑bonding events, happy hours, mission‑success celebrations, complimentary EV charging.
• Internship‑Specific Benefits: Paid observed holidays, 100% company‑paid medical/dental/vision, $120/month wellness reimbursement, sponsored One Medical memberships, $20 per pay period cell‑phone reimbursement, up to $4,000 gross‑up relocation support, up to $850 commute credit via Lyft or car‑rental reimbursement, fully stocked kitchen and EV charging.