Senior Environmental Test Engineer

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. Varda’s W-Series vehicles are built, designed, and operated by Varda in-house, including the pharmaceutical processing payloads, the capsules, the C-PICA heat shields, and the satellite buses.

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 a Senior Environmental Test Engineer at Varda, you will serve as the technical authority for vibration testing of spacecraft and space-qualifiedhardware defining test approaches, validating hardware readiness, and ensuring every qualification and acceptance campaign is executed with precision and confidence. You will own vibration test procedures end-to-end: from reviewing requirements and designing fixtures, to overseeing execution on the test floor and ensuring all resulting data is accurately captured, analyzed, and documented.

Working at the intersection of structures, manufacturing, systems engineering, and test operations, you will help guarantee that flight hardware meets the mechanical robustness required to survive launch and spaceflight environments. If you thrive in an environment where meticulous test discipline and hands-on problem solving directly influence mission success, this role is for you.

Responsibilities Own vibration test planning and execution for spacecraft and space-grade components, including qualification, acceptance, and development-level campaigns Develop, review, and continuously improve vibration test procedures, work instructions, and supporting documentation Review engineering requirements, test matrices, and environmental specifications to ensure test coverage is accurate and complete Evaluate, design, or oversee the design of custom vibration test fixtures, ensuring they meet structural stiffness, mass, and interface requirements Serve as the primary interface between test operations and engineering groups (structures, systems, avionics, manufacturing) during environmental test activities Identify and resolve fixture-interface issues, test configuration conflicts, and schedule risks prior to hardware entering the test queue Oversee vibration test readiness reviews, confirming fixture integrity, hardware configuration, instrumentation, and test article safety Lead on-floor vibration test operations, ensuring execution adheres strictly to procedure, safety standards, and configuration control Drive root cause analysis and RCCA for test anomalies or non-conformances;

disposition MRBs in coordination with responsible engineering teams Review and approve post-test data packages, including plots, accelerometer responses, workmanship checks, and final test reports Track environmental test metrics (cycle time, NCR rate, fixture availability, hardware throughput) and implement improvements to increase test cadence Define tooling, handling, and support equipment requirements to enable safe and efficient test operations

Basic QualificationsB.S. in Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or a related discipline, or equivalent professional experience (typically 3–6+ years) 3+ years of experience in environmental testing — specifically vibration testing — for spacecraft, launch vehicles, aerospace systems, or high-reliability hardware

Strong understanding of how spacecraft subsystems respond to dynamic…