Senior Manufacturing Engineer - Thermal Protection System (TPS)

Varda Space Industries•El Segundo, CA

4d•$140,333 - $202,703•Onsite

About The Position

As the Senior Manufacturing Engineer - Thermal Protection System (TPS) at Varda, you will own the manufacturing processes for the ablative and insulative materials that protect reentry capsules during reentry. You will develop and maintain processes for TPS fabrication and installation, including ablative material processing, bonding, tiling, and surface preparation, to ensure heatshields meet reentry performance requirements. This role offers ownership of a high-visibility manufacturing domain at a company demonstrating reentry capability on orbit. The position is open at the L2 and Senior levels, with leveling determined by candidate experience. It is on-site in El Segundo, California.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Materials Science, Mechanical, Aerospace, Chemical, or Manufacturing Engineering, or a related discipline; equivalent professional experience may be considered (typically 3–6+ years).
At least 3 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 as defined in the posting: a U.S. citizen, U.S. lawful permanent resident, or protected individual admitted as a refugee or granted asylum.

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.
Background 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 thermal protection system production, including ablative tile and panel preparation, bonding, densification, and closeout operations.
Develop and maintain detailed work instructions, process travelers, and process specifications for TPS fabrication and installation operations.
Implement surface preparation, adhesive application, and cure cycle procedures that meet bond strength and thermal performance requirements.
Collaborate with TPS design engineers to provide design-for-manufacturing feedback on tile geometry, bond joint design, and tooling access for installation.
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 materials storage and processing areas.
Assess and procure TPS-specific tooling, including bonding fixtures, tile templates, surface preparation tooling, and handling equipment.