Spacecraft Technician (Avionics Satellite Harness Manufacturing)

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

The Spacecraft Technician ( Avionics Satellite Harness Manufacturing ) is responsible for manufacturing, assembling, inspecting, and testing electrical harnesses used on satellite bus, payload, and spacecraft systems. This role supports the production of flight-quality avionics hardware by following released drawings, schematics, wire lists, work instructions, and quality requirements.

The ideal candidate has strong hands-on experience with harness fabrication, connector assembly, crimping, soldering, continuity testing, and flight hardware workmanship standards. This position requires attention to detail, strong documentation, and the ability to work closely with Engineering, Quality, Test, and Production teams.

Key Responsibilities

Harness Manufacturing and Assembly

• Manufacture satellite electrical harnesses, cable assemblies, and wire bundles per released drawings and work instructions.
• Cut, strip, label, route, and terminate wires to required specifications.
• Perform crimping, soldering, splicing, shielding, grounding, and connector assembly.
• Install backshells, strain relief, sleeving, heat shrink, shielding, and identification labels.
• Maintain proper wire routing, bend radius, service loops, and separation requirements.
• Assemble harnesses using form boards, fixtures, and approved tooling.
• Support harness layout, mockup, and fit-check activities as needed.

Inspection and Testing

• Perform continuity, resistance, insulation resistance, and pin-to-pin verification testing.
• Use multimeters, hipot testers, breakout boxes, and test equipment as required.
• Verify wire identification, connector pinouts, shielding, grounding, and labeling.
• Inspect workmanship for damaged wire, improper crimps, solder defects, connector damage, and routing issues.
• Support in-process inspection, final inspection, and Quality buy-off.
• Document test results and build records accurately.

Documentation and Quality

• Complete work orders, inspection, and test documentation.
• Record serial numbers, lot numbers, tooling information, test results, and nonconformances.
• Follow configuration control and released engineering documentation.
• Identify drawing, bill of material, or work instruction issues and communicate them to Engineering and Quality.
• Support Issues, MRB, rework, repair, and root-cause activities as required.
• Maintain traceability for flight hardware, wire, connectors, consumables, and tooling.

Safety, Cleanliness, and Compliance

• Follow ESD, FOD, cleanroom, and contamination-control procedures.
• Maintain a clean and organized workstation.
• Use calibrated tools and approved materials.
• Follow all safety procedures when using soldering equipment, heat tools, chemicals, and electrical test equipment.
• Handle flight hardware with care and follow company workmanship standards.

Required Qualifications

• High school diploma, GED, technical school certificate, or equivalent hands-on experience.
• 5+ years of experience manufacturing electrical harnesses, cable assemblies, avionics hardware, or high-reliability wiring.
• Ability to read and understand:
• Electrical schematics
• Wire lists
• Harness drawings
• Connector pinout tables
• Work instructions
• Bill of materials
• Experience with crimping, soldering, wire stripping, connector assembly, and harness routing.
• Experience using hand tools, crimp tools, soldering tools, heat guns, multimeters, and basic electrical test equipment.
• Strong attention to detail and documentation accuracy.
• Ability to follow written instructions and quality requirements.
• Ability to work independently and within a team environment.

Preferred Qualifications

• Aerospace, satellite, spacecraft, defense or high-reliability electronics experience.
• Experience manufacturing flight harnesses or avionics cable assemblies.
• Knowledge of IPC/WHMA-A-620, J-STD-001, or NASA workmanship standards.
• Experience with ESD-controlled and cleanroom environments.
• Experience performing continuity, hipot, insulation resistance, and functional testing.
• Experience with D-sub, Micro-D, circular, coax, RF, or high-density connectors.
• Experience with shield terminations, drain wires, grounding, and backshell assembly.
• Familiarity with NCR, MRB, redlines, ECOs, and configuration control.
• Experience working with Engineering and Quality during first builds or prototype builds.

Required Skills

• Harness manufacturing and fabrication
• Wire cutting, stripping, and labeling
• Crimping and soldering
• Connector assembly
• Backshell installation
• Continuity and resistance testing
• ESD control
• FOD prevention
• Reading schematics and wire lists
• Work instruction compliance
• Flight hardware handling
• Strong communication
• Problem solving
• Schedule accountability

Physical Requirements

• Ability to sit or stand for extended periods while performing detailed harness work.
• Ability to use hand tools and small tools for precision assembly.
• Ability to lift up to 25–35 lbs as needed.
• Ability to work under magnification or with small connector pins and contacts.
• Ability to work in an ESD-controlled or cleanroom environment.
• Good hand-eye coordination and manual dexterity.

Work Environment

This role is performed in an aerospace manufacturing, avionics build, and satellite integration environment. Work may be performed at a bench, on form boards, in an ESD area, or near satellite flight hardware. Some overtime, weekend work, or schedule flexibility may be required to support production milestones.

Success Criteria