Principal Fluid Systems Engineer - Pharmaceutical Payloads

Varda Space Industries•El Segundo, CA

1d•$170,000 - $220,000•Onsite

About The Position

As a Principal Fluid Systems Engineer on Varda's Payload team, you will define and lead the development of first-of-its-kind electromechanical fluid handling hardware that manufactures pharmaceuticals in microgravity, endures hypersonic reentry, and returns to Earth for material extraction. Your payloads will precisely meter, mix, filter, transport, and thermally control pharmaceutical materials in compact spacecraft-compatible hardware. You’ll shape the architecture and technical direction for pharmaceutical payloads—guiding project teams from requirements synthesis through development, on-orbit operation, recovery, and iteration for future missions. You’ll collaborate closely with pharmaceutical scientists, process engineers, internal leadership, and spacecraft subsystem teams to translate mission objectives into qualified hardware that flies in months, not years. This role is ideal for engineers who combine deep mechanical and fluid systems expertise with the cross-functional breadth to define foundational in-space pharmaceutical manufacturing infrastructure.

Requirements

BS/BEng in Mechanical, Aerospace, Mechatronics, Biomedical, Chemical, or related engineering discipline
7+ years of experience designing, integrating, testing, and troubleshooting electromechanical hardware
Deep mechanical and fluid systems expertise with breadth in at least two adjacent disciplines such as avionics, software, thermal, optics, test, precision instrumentation, etc.
Track record leading project teams through full-cycle electromechanical space flight hardware development
Extensive experience with valves, pumps, pistons, tubing, manifolds, fittings, seals, filters, sensors, metering hardware, thermal-control hardware, and/or compact fluidic assemblies
Excellent communication skills with customer, executive, and cross-disciplinary technical audiences

Nice To Haves

3+ years of cross-functional project leadership experience
Prior full-cycle technical leadership of precision fluid-handling hardware for relevant applications
In Space: ECLSS, low-thrust propulsion, astronaut suits, spacecraft thermal control, etc.
On Earth: semiconductor process equipment, biotech process equipment, analytical instruments, medical devices, etc.
Extensive experience planning and executing aerospace environmental testing (vibration, TVAC, EMI/EMC)
Familiarity with microgravity fluid behavior, capillary-driven flows, gas/liquid separation, two-phase flow, cGMP principles, cleanroom practices, or regulated hardware environments

Responsibilities

Define requirements, architecture, and development plans for pharmaceutical manufacturing payloads
Establish fluid system design standards for component selection and qualification, sealing, contamination control, thermal control, and verification/validation
Lead project teams to develop of precision fluid systems incorporating valves, pumps, pistons, manifolds, tubing, fittings, seals, filters, sensors, and thermal control systems
Drive system-level analyses, trade studies, and risk reduction using a variety of tools (hand calcs, Python/MATLAB models, FEA, etc. as needed)
Lead build and test campaigns for prototypes and flight hardware to characterize performance and reliability
Synthesize cross-functional inputs from business development, pharmaceutical science, process engineering, and spacecraft subsystem teams to develop requirements for new pharmaceutical payloads
Develop standards for subsystem requirements, ICDs, verification plans, test reports, and recovery procedures
Represent Varda in technical discussions with internal leadership, external partners, customers, and government stakeholders
Lead continuous improvement and incorporation of lessons learned
Mentor senior and entry-level engineers and shape best practices