Senior Space Build Reliability Engineer

Varda Space•El Segundo, CA

1d•Onsite

About The Position

The Senior Space Build Reliability Engineer partners with design and manufacturing teams to establish appropriate processes and controls that enable spacecraft hardware production to scale. Build Reliability Engineers help ensure production processes yield verified, reliable hardware at rate. The role also supports Quality, Flight Reliability, and Mission Assurance, and is suited to a collaborative, process-oriented engineer with hands-on hardware design, testing, manufacturing, or troubleshooting experience. This position is on-site at Varda’s facility in El Segundo, California. The salary range is $140,333–$179,314 per year. The role is eligible for incentives in the form of stock options and/or long-term cash awards. Because the position provides access to export-controlled items, Varda’s policy is to hire only U.S. persons permitted to access the technology without an export license: U.S. citizens, lawful permanent residents, or protected individuals admitted as refugees or granted asylum.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in aerospace, computer science, electrical, manufacturing, mechanical, or material sciences engineering.
At least 5 years of professional experience in aerospace, design, quality, or a related engineering role.
Hands-on hardware test, qualification, troubleshooting, or failure analysis experience.
Commitment to lean quality principles without compromising safety or reliability.
Demonstrated application of process controls in high-volume manufacturing, test, and quality environments.
Experience generating, processing, and/or analyzing data for production insight.
Strong interpersonal and collaborative skills, with a drive to innovate and improve reliability in cutting-edge technology.

Nice To Haves

Full project lifecycle ownership experience, from cradle to grave.
Proficiency with quality tools such as measurement systems analysis, design of experiments, statistical process control, root cause analysis and corrective action, advanced product quality planning (APQP), metrology, process failure mode and effects analysis (PFMEA), control plans, and problem-solving approaches.
Hands-on knowledge of CNC machining, additive manufacturing, casting, welding, fastening, or other special manufacturing processes.

Responsibilities

Partner with design engineering and manufacturing teams to create test, manufacturability, and inspection plans for vehicle hardware.
Contain suspect or known non-conforming product and provide guidance to quality inspectors, technicians, shop supervisors, and engineers.
Lead failure investigations in production, test, and operation; identify and mitigate immediate and underlying root causes to reduce risk and improve the reliability of designs and processes.
Provide peer review of hardware during design reviews and acceptance and qualification test campaigns.
Perform failure modes and effects analyses, build requirements compliance matrix tools, and ensure adequate test coverage, change management, and manufacturability of flight hardware.
Own vehicle-level deliverables for regulatory bodies, including requirements compliance, functional or flight hazard analyses, and verification evidence.
Support Mission Assurance’s vehicle-level risk management, including identification, tracking, and execution of mitigations.