Varda Space
Manufacturing Engineer II (Thermal Protection Systems)
$120K–$173K
El Segundo, California, United States · Full-time · Posted Sep 9, 2026
- Experience
- 1+ years of relevant manufacturing experience; equivalent professional experience may be considered for the degree requirement (typically 1–3+ years).
- Education
- B.S. in Materials Science, Mechanical, Aerospace, Chemical, or Manufacturing Engineering, or a related discipline; equivalent professional experience considered.
- Visa sponsorship
- Must be a U.S. person authorized to access export-controlled technology without an export license: U.S. citizen, U.S. lawful permanent resident, or protected individual admitted as a refugee or granted asylum.
About the job
Own and improve manufacturing processes for thermal protection materials and heatshields used on Varda’s reentry capsules.
What you'll do
- Develop and control TPS fabrication and installation processes, documentation, surface preparation, bonding, curing, and environmental conditions.
- Collaborate with design engineers on manufacturability, and define inspection and verification methods for TPS production.
- Investigate TPS manufacturing non-conformances, implement corrective actions, and assess and procure specialized tooling.
What they ask for
- B.S. in a related engineering discipline, or equivalent professional experience.
- 1+ years of manufacturing experience with TPS, composite materials, or advanced material bonding in aerospace or defense.
- Hands-on experience with ablative or reusable TPS materials and with adhesive bonding, surface preparation, and cure-cycle control.
- Experience interpreting engineering drawings and assembly models, familiarity with GD&T, and experience maintaining manufacturing process documentation.
Nice to have
- Direct TPS manufacturing experience for reentry, hypersonic, or planetary entry vehicles; familiarity with TPS inspection methods.
- Knowledge of TPS material properties, environmental controls, production-process transitions, or robotic/semi-automated tile application.
Pay
USD $119,543 - $172,673 per year (base salary)
Tools
PICA, AVCOAT, SLA-561, GD&T, NDE
Model-written summary · the original posting is authoritative