Manager of Combustion Devices

Varda Space Industries•El Segundo, CA

3d•Onsite

About The Position

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 Asparhov 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 the Manager of Combustion Devices, you will own the success of a critical subsystem within Varda's interdisciplinary engineering team. In this role you will be responsible for combustion device architecture, mechanical design, analysis products, component testing, and operations both on the ground and in orbit. You will directly lead a team of propulsion engineers to own the responsibilities of the subsystem as Varda evolves designs and adds reliability into its systems through block upgrades. Your work will directly influence the development of future thrusters for in-space mobility and other capabilities key to Varda’s growth. The Manager of Combustion Devices excels in technical leadership of propulsion development programs and at working cross-functionally across engineering domains, mission assurance, production, and supply chain to establish the first routine industrial operations off our home planet.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree or higher in Aerospace, Mechanical, or a related engineering field
6+ years of hands-on experience in spacecraft or launch vehicle propulsion — including design, build, and test of chemical propulsion systems, thrusters, gas generators, or other combustion devices
Demonstrated ability to lead people: prior experience formally or informally managing, mentoring, or technically leading a team of engineers
Deep technical understanding of chemical propulsion systems, including thermal & performance considerations, component selection, manufacturing techniques, qualification testing, and flight operations
History of collaborating effectively across organizational boundaries and driving to multi-disciplinary technical solutions through a pragmatic systems engineering approach
Experience authoring and executing operational procedures for ground test or flight operations
Proficiency with CAD and product lifecycle management (PLM) software

Nice To Haves

8+ years in spacecraft or launch vehicle propulsion, with breadth across design, analysis, test, and operations
Prior formal management experience: hiring, performance management, and team development
Experience with monopropellant or bipropellant chemical propulsion systems for spacecraft
Familiarity with engine performance evaluation, injector design, thermo-structural analysis for combustion devices, film cooling, stability analysis, or other subjects relevant to combustion device development
Familiarity with fluid systems performance analysis tools and methods
Background in defining and enforcing engineering standards or design guidelines for a propulsion organization
Launch site processing of spaceflight hardware, or flight operations experience
Exceptional communication skills: ability to translate technical complexity into clear direction for your team and clear status for leadership

Responsibilities

Own all combustion devices within the Varda propulsion team and their interfaces end-to-end across the engineering organization and product lifecycles.
Set the technical direction for Varda combustion devices. Expand team & subsystem capabilities through ongoing engineering developments, driving projects from concept through implementation and flight. Own thruster & related component sizing, performance, testing, qualification, and operations.
Drive, define, and map interfaces with partner disciplines. Set team priorities, remove blockers, and ensure thorough coverage across all team deliverables as the program scales.
Lead, grow, and hire the propulsion engineering team responsible for thruster development and operations, as well as key interfaces with GNC, structures, thermal, avionics, production, mission operations, and other partners.
Represent the combustion devices discipline in cross-functional forums both internally and externally, while planning and executing thruster test campaigns and in-flight operations alongside your team.
Define and uphold a high technical bar by informing and applying Varda's interdisciplinary engineering standards to the combustion devices team.

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
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
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
Company and team-bonding events, happy hours and mission-success celebrations
Complimentary EV charging
Dog-friendly office space