Varda Space
Senior Structures Engineer
$115K–$180K
El Segundo, California, United States · Senior · Full-time · Posted Oct 8, 2026
- Experience
- 5+ years in related applications; pay bands list E2 (1–3 years) and Sr. Engineer (3–6 years).
- Education
- Bachelor’s degree in a relevant engineering discipline.
- Visa sponsorship
- Only hires U.S. persons permitted to access the technology without an export license.
About the job
Designs, analyzes, builds, and tests primary and secondary structures for spaceflight structures and reentry vehicles, along with related ground-support equipment and mechanisms.
What you'll do
- Derive hardware requirements, perform design trades, and assess system-level impacts of design decisions.
- Use calculations, finite element analysis, and CAD to deliver hardware that meets requirements; plan and execute development and qualification testing.
- Develop integration and test tooling, own hardware delivery, and mentor junior engineers.
What they ask for
- Bachelor’s degree in a relevant engineering discipline and 5+ years of experience in related applications.
- Strong structural design, analysis, and testing knowledge, including ability to demonstrate that designs meet requirements.
- Excellent 3D CAD skills and experience translating models into production-intent drawings and work instructions.
- Experience with revision-controlled documentation in a PLM system; strong written and verbal communication skills.
Nice to have
- Aerospace hardware development or direct spaceflight/reentry vehicle experience; spacecraft heatshield design and analysis.
- Programming tools such as Python or Matlab; hands-on assembly, fabrication, and machining of metallic parts.
Pay
$115,000 - 153,000 per year (base salary); $140,000 - 180,000 per year (base salary)
Tools
Ansys, Femap, Nastran, NX, Teamcenter, Python, Matlab
Model-written summary · the original posting is authoritative