Manufacturing Engineer; Structures El Segundo, California,

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 re‑entry 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.

As a Structures Manufacturing Engineer at Varda, you will own the manufacturing processes for primary and secondary structural assemblies that form the backbone of our reentry capsules and spacecraft. From composite layup and cure operations to machined metallic substructures and bonded panel assemblies, you will bridge the gap between structural design intent and production reality. You will work shoulder‑to‑shoulder with structural design engineers and a skilled technician team to drive process discipline, eliminate rework, and steadily increase vehicle build cadence.

This is a hands‑on role for someone who understands how parts are actually made, not just how they are designed, and who is energized by the challenge of scaling a complex aerospace manufacturing operation. This role is open at the Engineer II and Senior level, with levels determined based on candidate experience.

• Own manufacturing processes for composite structures (wet layup, prepreg, autoclave/oven cure), machined metallic components, and bonded assemblies.
• Develop and maintain detailed work instructions, process specifications, and manufacturing travelers for all structural build operations.
• Provide DFM feedback to structural design engineers on composite part design, tooling accessibility, bond joint design, and fastener patterns.
• Implement and enforce cleanliness, FOD prevention, and contamination control procedures for composite and bonded structure operations.
• Lead non‑conformance investigations and root cause corrective actions for structural build defects and materials issues, including dimensional discrepancies and tolerance stackups, coating failures or damage to structure or protective coatings.
• Define and procure tooling—drill jigs, assembly fixtures—required to support production scaling.
• Refine floor layouts and product flow for structural subassembly work cells to reduce travel time and improve throughput.
• Coordinate with supply chain on incoming material inspection requirements for composite materials, adhesives, and structural raw stock.

• B.S. in Mechanical or Materials Engineering, or a related discipline, with consideration given to equivalent professional experience (typically 3–6+ years).
• 3+ years of manufacturing experience with structural assembly or manufacturing — riveted or welded structures, machined metals, or composites and bonded structures.
• Strong understanding of structural static loads analysis, mechanical properties of materials and processes used to assemble riveted and bolted structures.
• Hands‑on experience assembling and fabricating structural assemblies, such as welding, adhesive bonding, or riveting.
• Abil…