Principal Manufacturing Engineer (Thermal Protection Systems)

Varda Space Industries•El Segundo, CA

4h•$181,913 - $262,763•Onsite

About The Position

Varda is hiring a Principal Manufacturing Engineer for its Thermal Protection System (TPS) manufacturing domain. The role owns manufacturing processes for ablative and insulative materials used to protect reentry capsules. It develops and maintains processes for heatshield fabrication and installation, including material processing, bonding, tiling, and surface preparation, to ensure heatshields meet reentry requirements. The position works at the intersection of materials science and production engineering and collaborates with TPS design engineers. The posting states that the role is open at the L2 and Senior level, with leveling determined by candidate experience. The position is on-site in El Segundo, California. The stated annual salary range is $181,913–$262,763. The employee will be eligible for incentives in the form of stock options and/or long-term cash awards. Because the role provides access to export-controlled items, Varda’s policy is to hire U.S. persons permitted to access its technology without an export license.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Materials Science, Mechanical, Aerospace, Chemical, or Manufacturing Engineering, or a related discipline; equivalent professional experience may be considered.
Six or more years of manufacturing experience with thermal protection systems, composite materials, or advanced material bonding in aerospace or defense.
Hands-on experience with ablative or reusable TPS materials such as PICA, AVCOAT, SLA-561, cork composites, ceramic tiles, or equivalent.
Experience with adhesive bonding processes, surface-preparation methods, and cure-cycle control for structural or TPS bonds.
Ability to read and interpret engineering drawings and TPS assembly models; familiarity with GD&T as applied to complex surface geometries.
Experience writing and maintaining manufacturing process documentation for specialized materials operations.
Ability to regularly lift 25 pounds, bend, stoop, and stand for extended periods while working directly with hardware.
Must be a U.S. person permitted to access the company’s export-controlled technology without an export license.

Nice To Haves

Direct experience manufacturing TPS for reentry vehicles, hypersonic glide vehicles, or planetary entry capsules.
Familiarity with TPS inspection methods, including visual inspection, tap testing, and NDE methods applicable to bonded ceramic or ablative tiles.
Knowledge of TPS material properties, including ablation rates, density gradients, and outgassing behavior, and their manufacturing implications.
Experience with environmental controls and material-handling requirements for moisture-sensitive TPS materials.
Experience transitioning TPS manufacturing from bespoke development builds to repeatable, documented production processes.
Experience with robotic or semi-automated TPS tile application processes.
Familiarity with reentry thermal analysis and how TPS design margins translate into manufacturing quality requirements.
Prior work at a company with demonstrated reentry or hypersonic vehicle flight heritage.

Responsibilities

Own manufacturing processes for TPS production, including ablative tile and panel preparation, bonding, densification, and closeout operations.
Develop and maintain work instructions, process travelers, and process specifications for TPS fabrication and installation.
Implement surface preparation, adhesive application, and cure-cycle procedures that meet bond-strength and thermal-performance requirements.
Collaborate with TPS design engineers and provide design-for-manufacturing feedback on tile geometry, bond-joint design, and tooling access.
Define inspection and verification methods for TPS bonds, surface finish, and dimensional conformance, and integrate quality gates into production workflows.
Lead root-cause analysis and corrective actions for TPS non-conformances, including bond voids, tile cracking, and surface contamination.
Develop and control environmental conditioning requirements, including temperature and humidity, for TPS material storage and processing areas.
Assess and procure TPS-specific tooling, including bonding fixtures, tile templates, surface-preparation tooling, and handling equipment.