Job Description
About 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 Asparouhov 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.
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.
Basic Qualifications
• 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
Preferred Skills & Experience
• 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
Pay Range
- Salary Range: $155,000.00 - $200,000.00/per year
- This role is on-site in El Segundo, CA
- Base salary is determined by job-related skills, education level, experience level, and job performance
- You will be eligible for incentives in the form of stock options and/or long-term cash awards
Benefits
Varda offers a comprehensive benefits package designed to support health, financial well‑being, and a high‑quality workplace experience. Below is an overview of what full‑time employees receive (at this time, interns receive a subset of benefits):
Health & Wellness
- 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
Financial & Retirement
- 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
Workplace Experience & Perks
- 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 🐕
ITAR Requirements
Varda, like all employers, must ensure that its employees working in the United States are lawfully authorized to work in the U.S. Additionally, our employees are exposed to and have access to certain export-controlled items. At present, some of our technology to which employees have access requires a license to be exported to individuals other than “U.S. Persons” as defined in U.S. export regulations. Because our employees are provided access to export-controlled items, our current policy is to only hire “U.S. persons” who are permitted to have access to our technology without an export license.
“US person” means: U.S. citizen, U.S. lawful permanent resident, or protected individual as defined by 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3) (i.e., individual admitted to the U.S. as a refugee or granted asylum in the U.S.)
E-Verify Statement
Varda Space Industries, Inc. participates in the U.S. Department of Homeland Security E-Verify program. The E-Verify program is an Internet-based employment eligibility verification system operated by the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Learn more about the E-Verify program.
E-Verify Notice Right To Work Notice
Varda Space Industries is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees. Candidates and employees are always evaluated based on merit, qualifications, and performance. We will never discriminate on the basis of race, color, gender, national origin, ethnicity, veteran status, disability status, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, martial status, mental or physical disability, or any other legally protected status.
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Job Details
- Department
- Mechanical
- Category
- Mechanical
- Employment Type
- Full Time
- Location
- El Segundo, CA
- Posted
- Compensation
- $155,000 - $200,000 per year
About Varda Space
Varda is a space manufacturing startup that focuses on creating products and drugs in space for terrestrial applications.
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