Avionics Hardware Development Engineer

El Segundo, CA

About the role

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. 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 Varda Avionics Hardware Engineer, you will design, manufacture, test, and represent electrical components used to fly and manufacture products in space. In this role you will have immense ownership of hardware through all lifecycle phases. Get excited to deliver and test products that will go to space and back! Some people say that you only have one chance to fly to space so you must be certain it will work. At Varda, we believe that the trip to space and back is the easiest trip our hardware takes. We stress our components above and beyond the levels it should expect to see in flight, and we investigate our failures thoroughly. Come join our team and build quality electronics that you love to see fly over and over again.

Responsibilities Develop mixed-signal designs and shepherd them through the full product lifecycle including

requirements definition, design, development, qualification, and release to production Support avionics architecture trade studies, analyses, performance characterization and specification, device selection, and roadmap direction Support risk analyses, design for test/manufacture/cost, and root-cause analysis of test discrepancies Design electrical circuit boards Collaborate on mechanical design fit, form, and function Functionally test your hardware through thermal, vibe, shock, TVAC, and EMI Write vehicle level integration test plans to validate for flight Perform root cause analysis for test failures and develop mitigation strategies for flight risks Example of Avionics Products you'll be working on: flight computers, networking, star trackers, reaction wheels, magnetorquers, payload controllers, battery packs, solar charger, RF transceiver and decoder\ Basic

Qualifications B.S. in Electrical or Computer Engineer or related field 3+ years of direct experience in electronics hardware development Demonstrated experience developing electrical circuit boards and delivering a working product Strong sense of ownership and responsibility for components you contribute towards Strong hands-on experience with oscilloscopes, function generators, benchtop digital multimeters, and power supplies Understanding of analog/digital filtering, mixed-signal circuit design, analysis, and test Knowledge of signal integrity, power, grounding, and general board layout principles Experience programming in Python, MATLAB, or another scripting/data analysis language Understanding of sensor and actuator technologies including: RTD’s, pressure transducers, DC brushless motors, solenoid valves, thermocouples, hydraulic servo valves, LVDT, RVDT, Rotary/Linear Encoders Don’t worry if you don’t check 100% of these boxes... We want to meet you! Preferred Skills and Experience Demonstrated experience in delivering flight avionics for aircraft, launch vehicles, or other space applications Schematic and layout experience using Altium Designer Strong understanding and experience in environmental testing, such as vibration, shock, thermal, and TVAC Direct experience in launch vehicle avionics systems integration Experience with high and low speed instrumentation and data acquisition Firm understanding of instrumentation, interfaces and sensors including power supplies, serial devices, switch topologies, accelerometers, and 4-20mA sensors Pay Range Salary range: $100,000 - $165,000 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 long-term 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. At present, some of our technology to which employees have access requires a license to be exported to individuals other than “U.S. Persons” as defined in U.S. export regulations. Because our employees are provided access to export-controlled items, our current 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 in the U.S.) Learn more about the ITAR here .

Benefits Exciting team of professionals at the top of their field working by your side Equity in a fully funded space startup with potential for significant growth (interns excluded) 401(k) matching (interns excluded) Unlimited PTO (interns excluded) Health insurance, including Vision and Dental Lunch and snacks provided on site every day. Dinners provided twice a week. Maternity / Paternity leave (interns excluded) Varda Space Industries is an Equal Opportunity Employer. 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. E-Verify Statement Varda Space Industries, Inc. participates in the U.S. Department of Homeland Security E-Verify program. The E-Verify program is an Internet-based employment eligibility verification system operated by the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Learn more about the E-Verify program. E-Verify Notice Right To Work Notice Read more Read more

About Varda Space Industries

Varda is a space manufacturing startup that focuses on creating products in space for terrestrial applications. They aim to manufacture things in space that benefit from low gravity. The company intends to make an infrastructure that harvests source materials for new products in space via asteroid mining. The company's long-term vision involves leveraging these facilities to manufacture pharmaceuticals, fiber optics, and other materials with properties optimized by space conditions. Varda aims to contribute to the development of a sustainable space economy and advance humanity's presence and activities beyond Earth's atmosphere.

Other roles at Varda Space Industries

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Job details

Salary

$109,148 - $152,749

Location

El Segundo, CA

Company

NameVarda Space Industries
IndustryAerospace
Team Size3

Funding

Total raised

$329M

Last stage

Series C

Investors

Founders Fund
Khosla Ventures
Lux Capital
CCaffeinated Capital
General Catalyst

Founders

TS

Trae Stephens

Co-Founder & Board Member

Will Bruey

Will Bruey

Co-Founder & CEO

LinkedIn
Delian Asparouhov

Delian Asparouhov

Co-Founder, President & Chairman

LinkedIn

What happens next.

No applications, no recruiter spam. Just the intro.

01

Confirm the fit

A few questions to make sure this role is the right shape for you. Two minutes.

02

I pitch you to the company

I write the intro, send it to the founder, and handle the back-and-forth.

03

A meeting lands on your calendar

If they’re a yes, I book the chat. You show up — that’s the whole job-hunt.