Propulsion Engineer I - Hardware and Bus Systems

About Varda

Low Earth orbit is open for business. Varda is accelerating the development of commercial space infrastructure, from in-orbit pharmaceutical processing to reliable and economical reentry capsules. Varda’s W-Series vehicles are built, designed, and operated by Varda in-house, including the pharmaceutical processing payloads, the capsules, the C-PICA heat shields, and the satellite buses.

From life-saving pharmaceuticals to more powerful fiber optics, there is a world of products used on Earth today that can only be manufactured in space. Varda is accelerating innovation in the orbital economy by creating both the products and infrastructure needed so space can directly benefit life on Earth. Our mission is to expand the economic bounds of humankind.

Our team is uniquely suited to accomplishing this goal, with leadership and staff comprised of veterans from SpaceX, Blue Origin, major pharmaceutical companies and Silicon Valley. Varda was founded in January 2021 by Will Bruey and Delian Asparouhov with significant backing from world class investors including Khosla Ventures, Lux Capital, Founders Fund, Caffeinated Capital, General Catalyst, and Also Capital.

Varda is headquartered in El Segundo, California, where we have offices and a production facility where our vehicles, equipment, and materials are built, integrated, and tested. Varda also has offices in Washington, DC and Huntsville, AL.

Join Varda, and work to create a bustling in-space ecosystem.

About This Role

As a Propulsion Engineer I, you will be a hands-on technical owner of the propulsion subsystem and propulsion hardware across Varda's fleet of spacecraft. You will help own and maintain the system architecture, generate analysis products, perform component sizing, propulsion software tool development, data review, detailed mechanical design, subsystem test, operations, and more for vehicles both on the ground and in orbit.

You will take ownership of assigned hardware, subsystems, and work products within a fast-moving interdisciplinary engineering team. Your work will directly contribute to the development of current and future space vehicles key to Varda's growth. You'll thrive in a hands-on environment, building technical breadth and developing propulsion system design, production, and operational fundamentals through every project.

Responsibilities

• Support and maintain the Varda spacecraft propulsion system technical baseline, including P&IDs and system-level documentation
• Design, analyze, and test Varda satellite bus propulsion flight hardware and components
• Help execute propulsion system block upgrades on operational vehicles — inclusive of both schematic and hardware changes — to increase reliability and launch cadence
• Support requirements definition for future Varda vehicles; contribute to project plans, roadmaps, and milestones
• Generate propulsion performance analysis products and document key requirements (propellant budgets, pressure ladders, fluid component sizing, structural & thermal limits, and more); deliver your outputs as key inputs to GNC, Mission Operations, Thermal, and other cross-disciplinary partner teams
• Build Python scripts and spreadsheet tools to automate recurring analysis and test data review workflows
• Execute detailed mechanical design of propulsion hardware and fluid system components; perform structural analysis using ANSYS, NASTRAN, or equivalent FEA tools
• Author and review design documentation, engineering specs, build/integration/test procedures, and engineering memos
• Support in-flight propulsion operations, including on-console support under senior engineer oversight
• Disposition hardware nonconformances; support anomaly investigations and contribute to corrective actions

Basic Qualifications

• BS. in Aerospace Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or a closely related discipline; equivalent professional experience considered
• Experience in hands-on propulsion or fluid systems design, build, and/or test for spacecraft or launch vehicles (including internship, coursework, or project experience)
• Working knowledge of flight fluid system hardware: pressurized components, tubing, fittings, seals, valves, and instrumentation
• Ability to read P&IDs; experience authoring P&IDs is a plus
• Proficiency with CAD tools (e.g., NX, SolidWorks, CATIA, or other) and PLM software
• Experience authoring or executing operational procedures for ground test or flight campaigns
• Demonstrated ability to take ownership of assigned technical tasks and drive them to resolution

Preferred Skills and Experience

• 1+ year of spacecraft or launch vehicle propulsion experience, including familiarity with satellite bus-level propulsion architectures (monopropellant, bipropellant, cold gas systems). Graduate coursework included
• Experience building Python, MATLAB, or other scripts or spreadsheet tools to automate recurring propulsion analysis or data review workflows
• Exposure to structural analysis using ANSYS, NASTRAN, or equivalent FEA tools applied to propulsion or fluid system hardware
• Familiarity with technical drawing review and GD&T per ASME Y14.5 standards
• Exposure to high-pressure fluid systems and spacecraft-grade propellants including cryogenic, hypergolic, or high-test peroxide systems; awareness of cleanliness, handling, and safety requirements
• Test, launch site, or in-flight operational experience on spacecraft or launch vehicles
• Familiarity with 1D fluid modeling & analysis tools (GFSSP, REFPROP, or similar)
• Strong technical communication skills — clarity and precision in work instructions, engineering specs, and engineering memos

Pay Range

• Salary Range: $109,148 - $139,466/per year
• This role is on-site in El Segundo, CA
• Leveling and base salary is determined by job-related skills, education level, experience level, and job performance
• You will be eligible for incentives in the form of stock options and/or long-term cash awards

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. Additionally, 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).

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