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 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. You will design, build, and own sophisticated ground support equipment (GSE) and test systems: propulsion test stands, environmental qualification chambers, spacecraft-level integration testing and more! Our stack is modern, including a custom PLC framework and Beckhoff EtherCAT tooling built in-house. Design, build, and maintain test systems and ground support equipment (GSE) for flight hardware qualification and manufacturing operations. - Integrate with a wide range of 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, including evaluation of PLC-based (TwinCAT 3) versus Linux-based approaches for high-frequency control applications. - Build cabinets, wire panels, and own systems end-to-end from electrical design through commissioning. - Champion sustainable engineering practices that enable new engineers to ramp quickly on the tech stack and maintain production systems reliably. Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or a related 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 communication standards. - 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 there. - Comfort working across the full stack: writing control software, designing electrical panels, wiring cabinets, and debugging hardware. - Proven ability to thrive in a fast-paced startup environment where priorities shift, and end-to-end ownership of problems is expected. Strong intuition for when to use real-time PLC code versus higher-level Python orchestration, and a clear understanding of the tradeoffs between the two. - Experience working with custom or in-house control frameworks, rather than relying solely on vendor-provided stacks. - Advanced EtherCAT expertise beyond consumer-level usage — 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. - Familiarity with time-series data acquisition and visualization tools such as Grafana, InfluxDB, or similar platforms. - Aerospace experience, particularly in spacecraft testing or GSE development. - Environmental test experience, including TVAC, thermal cycling, and vibration testing. - Hands-on experience working with high-pressure gas or fluid systems. - Experience developing safety-related control systems and evaluating proposed solutions for reducing safety-related risks. Eligible for incentives in the form of stock options and/or long-term cash awards. - 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. - Offer compensation also includes the ability to receive stock options under the Company's Equity Incentive Plan. Varda offers a comprehensive benefits package designed to support health, financial well‑being, and a high‑quality workplace experience. Below is an overview of what full‑time employees receive (at this time, interns receive a subset of benefits): Flexible PTO policy 12 paid holidays - 100% company-paid Medical, Dental, and Vision insurance plans for employees and dependents with FSA and employer-matched HSA options - 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 Financial & Retirement - 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 Fully stocked kitchen with lunch provided daily and dinner provided twice weekly - 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. citizen, U.S. lawful permanent resident, or protected individual as defined by 8 U.S. as a refugee or granted asylum). Citizenship and Immigration Services. 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, martial status, mental or physical disability, or any other legally protected status.5c143e31-5e48-4549-b638-05792d185386