Structures Engineer

About this Role

Varda is looking for a motivated Structures Engineer to join our team. In this role, you'll support the design, analysis, testing, and integration of structural components for our spaceflight systems and reentry vehicles. This is a great opportunity to grow your engineering skills while working alongside experienced engineers on real hardware in a fast-paced environment. You'll contribute to projects that range from spacecraft structures to mechanical ground support equipment, while learning how to apply engineering fundamentals to solve complex, real-world problems.

This is a full-time, exempt position located at our El Segundo headquarters.

Responsibilities

• Derive hardware requirements and perform initial design trades given open-ended problem statements and stakeholder input.
• Evaluate the impact of hardware design decisions on packaging, thermal, environmental, and loads to ensure the best system-level solution.
• Own all aspects of hardware delivery, both technical and administrative.
• Use hand calculations, finite element analyses, and computer-aided designs (CAD) to ensure all hardware meets or exceeds requirements.
• Design and execute development and qualification testing.
• Develop tooling to support hardware integration and testing.

Basic Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in a relevant engineering discipline with 1+ years of experience in related applications (e.g., structures for automotive, aircraft, spacecraft, etc.).
• Strong first principles thinking with an understanding of structural design, analysis, and test.
• Ability to perform appropriate structural analyses to demonstrate that a structure design meets or exceeds requirements (e.g., Hand Calcs, Ansys, Femap, Nastran, etc.).
• Familiarity with 3D CAD software (ideally NX).
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Eagerness to learn and work on hands-on hardware projects.
• Excitement about making history at the forefront of both the space and pharmaceutical industries.

Preferred Skills and Experience

• Experience with aerospace hardware development practices, from concept to delivery (e.g., qualification testing practices, design for typical space environments, cleanliness, etc.).
• Experience with programming tools (Python, Matlab, etc.).
• Comfortable with hands-on assembly, fabrication, and machining of metallic parts.
• Familiarity with PLM software (ideally Teamcenter)

Pay Range

• E1: $105,000 - $140,000 per year (1-1.5 years of exp)
• E2: $120,000 - $153,000 per year (1-3 years of exp)
• Sr. Engineer: $140,000 - 180,000 per year (3-6 years of exp)
• This role is on-site in El Segundo, CA
• Leveling and base salary are 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

Benefits

• Consider your benefits covered for launch.
• At Varda, we invest in benefits and perks that support your health, financial well-being, and life beyond work.
• Benefits vary by position, with packages designed specifically for our regular full-time employees and interns.

Regular Full-Time Positions: Health & Wellness

• 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
• 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

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

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

Intern Positions: Health & Wellness

• Paid observed holidays

Financial

• $20/pay period cell phone reimbursement
• Up to $4,000 gross up in relocation support, if eligible
• Up to $850 commute credit through Lyft or car rental reimbursement, if eligible

Workplace Experience & Perks

• 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. 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).