Space Mission Operations Engineer

Space Mission Operations Engineer

El Segundo, California, United States

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.

The Mission Operations team are experienced spacecraft operators. They are exceptional communicators, adept leaders, and a jack-of-all trades capable of applying cross-discipline engineering to bespoke solutions. An ideal candidate is someone passionate to work in a startup environment where you will have the opportunity to fully own on-orbit operations, and mold a unique new mission framework for operations in space.

• Develop, coordinate, execute, and lead Varda's on-orbit missions.
• Own the full ops development cycle for mission-unique payloads, from the creation of mission profiles through execution.
• Work with teams across the company to continuously improve upon mission operations and ensure mission success.
• Automate and eliminate operational burden by building webtools.
• Scale up Varda's operational capabilities to support a growing flight cadence.

• Bachelor's degree in an engineering discipline, preferably Aerospace, Electrical, or Computer Science.
• 2+ years of experience in a real time operations role on a complex and high consequence operation.
• 1+ years of experience developing software tools in Python, JavaScript, and/or HTML.
• Familiarity with Avionics, GNC, Software, and Thermal design practices for spacecraft.

• 3+ years of experience with spacecraft systems.
• Previous operator experience in a leadership role.
• Previous in-orbit spacecraft operations experience.
• Previous experience with Git and Atlassian products.
• Familiarity with ground stations networks.

• Salary range: $120,000 - $170,000 annually.
• This role is on-site in El Segundo, CA.
• Leveling and base salary is determined by job-related skills, education level, experience level, and job performance.
• Offer compensation also includes the ability to receive stock options under the Company's Equity Incentive Plan.

Varda offers a comprehensive benefits package designed to support health, financial well-being, and a high-quality workplace experience. Below is an overview of what full-time employees receive (at this time, interns receive a subset of benefits):

Health & Wellness

• Flexible PTO policy + 12 paid holidays
• 100% company-paid Medical, Dental, and Vision insurance plans for employees and dependents with FSA and employer-matched HSA options
• Voluntary accident, hospital, critical illness, and pet insurance
• $120/month wellness reimbursement for gym and fitness expenses
• 12 weeks of parental leave (with supplemental disability leave for CA mothers)
• Family building, pregnancy, parenting and menopause benefits via Maven Clinic
• Sponsored One Medical memberships for employees and their dependents

Financial & Retirement

• Substantial incentive equity in a fully funded space start-up
• 401(k) retirement plan with 6% employer match (immediately vested)
• $20/pay period cell phone reimbursement
• Relocation support for new hires, if needed

Workplace Experience & Perks

• Fully stocked kitchen with lunch provided daily and dinner provided twice weekly
• Company and team-bonding events, happy hours and mission-success celebrations
• Complimentary EV charging

Varda, like all employers, must ensure that its employees working in the United States are lawfully authorized to work in the U.S. Additionally, our employees are exposed to and have access to certain export-controlled items. Because our employees are provided access to export-controlled items, our policy is to only hire "U.S. persons"…