Senior Test Engineer, Terrestrial

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 (coming soon).

Join Varda, and work to create a bustling in-space ecosystem.

About this Role

As a Senior Test Engineer at Varda, you will have the autonomy and creative freedom to design, build, and maintain test platforms that push the boundaries of our spaceflight hardware. This is a deeply hands-on role cutting across mechanical, electrical, fluid, and control disciplines, offering opportunities to innovate at every stage—from concept, fabrication, and instrumentation, through data acquisition and commissioning. By ensuring our teams can run precise, low-friction tests, you will play a direct and pivotal role in advancing Varda’s mission.

We are a fast-moving startup that embraces complexity and bold ideas, giving you the freedom to experiment and iterate quickly. Successful candidates thrive on solving hard problems, adapting to dynamic requirements, and collaborating across multiple domains. In return, you will gain significant ownership, see your contributions rapidly come to life, and help us uphold the highest standards of performance, reliability, and safety in our hardware. If you enjoy both autonomy and responsibility, and want to shape the future of spaceflight in an environment that rewards creativity, this role is for you.

Key Responsibilities

• Drive end-to-end development of test infrastructure: concept, design, fabrication, integration, validation, and maintenance.
• Architect and assemble fluid, thermal, mechanical, and electrical test rigs and fixtures that support a broad range of development activities.
• Implement instrumentation and data acquisition (DAQ) solutions, integrating sensors, transducers, actuators, PLCs, and embedded controllers.
• Collaborate with multidisciplinary teams (mechanical, avionics, propulsion, software) to translate test requirements into robust, user-friendly test systems.
• Ensure test stands are well-documented, easily maintainable, and primed for quick iteration and upgrades.
• Apply first-principles thinking to diagnose issues, resolve anomalies, and optimize equipment reliability to >99% uptime.
• Contribute to safety reviews, risk assessments, and continuous improvements to deliver efficient, reliable, and repeatable test environments.

Basic Qualifications:

• B.S. in Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or a related technical field.
• 3+ years of hands-on experience designing and supporting test equipment or R&D infrastructure (e.g., mechanical fixtures, fluid loops, or electrical test stands).
• Proficiency with CAD tools (NX or SolidWorks) and basic mechanical design principles (structural integrity, component selection, tolerance analysis).
• Familiarity with P&ID diagrams, pressure regulators, valves, transducers, and a range of instrumentation sensors (load cells, RTDs, thermocouples, accelerometers).
• Experience with basic electrical wiring, harnessing, and instrumentation techniques, including reading schematics and implementing signal conditioning.
• Strong troubleshooting skills, with the ability to use tools like multimeters, oscilloscopes, and data loggers to isolate and fix problems.
• A proactive, ownership-driven mindset and the ability to adapt quickly as test requirements evolve.
•  Demonstrated ability to coordinate, mentor, and collaborate with a small engineering team (e.g., 2–5 members).
• U.S. citizenship or lawful