Ground Support Mechanical Design Engineer II

Varda Space Industries•El Segundo, CA

8h•$119,543 - $152,749•Onsite

About The Position

The Mechanical Design Engineer II builds bespoke test infrastructure to qualify spaceflight hardware for orbit. The role designs, builds, and owns sophisticated ground support equipment (GSE) and test systems, including propulsion test stands, environmental qualification chambers, and spacecraft-level integration testing systems. The work uses a modern technology stack that includes Varda’s in-house custom PLC framework and Beckhoff EtherCAT tooling. The priority is enabling high-cadence, production-supporting equipment by integrating mechanical, electrical, fluid, and instrumentation systems into cohesive test platforms. The engineer implements solutions from concept through fabrication, assembly, commissioning, and ongoing support, while managing rapid R&D test setups and long-term infrastructure improvements. The position is on-site in El Segundo, California. The stated annual salary range is $119,543–$152,749. The role is eligible for incentives in the form of stock options and/or long-term cash awards. Employees must be U.S. persons authorized to access export-controlled items.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering or a related technical field.
At least 3 years of industry experience in mechanical design or industrial automation.
Extensive experience using SolidWorks, NX CAD, or comparable tools.
Experience with electrical wiring for cabinets, PLCs, harnesses, and connectors.
Experience with Altium or comparable electronic schematic design software; Varda is migrating to EPLAN.
Hands-on experience working with high-pressure gas or fluid systems.
Environmental test experience, including TVAC, thermal cycling, and vibration testing.
Experience developing propulsion test stands or other complex, multi-subsystem test infrastructure.
Hands-on experience integrating with industrial hardware using protocols such as EtherCAT, Modbus (TCP/RTU), RS-232/485 serial, or similar standards.
Experience with at least one modern PLC ecosystem, ideally Beckhoff TwinCAT 3 with structured text (IEC 61131-3), or demonstrated eagerness to develop deep expertise in it.
Ability to thrive in a fast-paced startup environment where priorities shift and end-to-end ownership of problems is expected.
Must be a U.S. person, as defined in the posting, and authorized to work in the United States with access to export-controlled items.

Nice To Haves

Aerospace experience, particularly in spacecraft testing or GSE development.
Familiarity with spacecraft qualification standards and associated documentation requirements.
Experience developing safety-related control systems and evaluating proposed solutions to reduce safety-related risks.
Programming experience, either low-level firmware or high-level Python.

Responsibilities

Design, build, and maintain test systems and ground support equipment for flight-hardware qualification and manufacturing operations, including data acquisition systems, propulsion test stands, fill carts, thermal-control systems, PLC cabinets, and gas and liquid systems.
Maintain test infrastructure to achieve greater than 99% uptime and predictable performance.
Serve as the Responsible Engineer for infrastructure including centrifuges, TVACs, propulsion test stands, propulsion fill carts, propulsion gas benches, propulsion water-flow stands, and torch test stands.
Build cabinets, wire panels, and own systems end-to-end from electrical design through commissioning.
Partner with propulsion, avionics, GNC, and manufacturing teams to deliver test infrastructure that meets their needs on aggressive timelines.
Read, deploy, and make minor edits to Varda’s internal PLC framework and EtherCAT tooling to support evolving program needs.
Champion sustainable engineering practices that help new engineers ramp up on the technology stack and support reliable production-system maintenance.
Thoroughly document systems with clear, accessible procedures and schematics.