Senior Systems Engineer, Flight Safety

Employer description

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

Varda is seeking a Senior Systems Engineer to serve as the primary architect for mission safety and reentry compliance. Joining our Mission Assurance team, you will lead the development of the Flight Safety Analysis and the regulatory strategy required for FAA Part 450 and Range Safety licensing. This is a highly cross-functional role that bridges the gap between complex engineering trades and regulatory approval. From defining safety-critical verification artifacts during design to supporting live on-console operations, you will ensure our flight hardware is verified and our reentry methodologies are mathematically sound.

Responsibilities

• Own the technical regulatory strategy, Means of Compliance, and safety cases for FAA launch and reentry authorizations.
• Own vehicle-level functional hazard analyses (FHA) and failure mode and effect analyses (FMEA).
• Maintain Expected Casualty and debris risk models to ensure all mission phases meet regulatory safety thresholds.
• Establish technical safety limits and mission rules for real-time on-console operations.
• Responsible for vehicle-level deliverables to regulatory organizations, in the service of mission reentry licenses and authorizations.
• Act as the Flight Safety responsible engineer during mission rehearsals and live recovery operations.

Basic Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in aerospace, mechanical, electrical, manufacturing, systems engineering or related field.
• Minimum 5 years of relevant aerospace engineering experience, with a previous role involving mission assurance, fight safety, or a senior systems engineering role. 
• Demonstrated experience with FAA Part 450, expected casualty modeling, trajectory dispersion, and/or debris analysis. 
• Excellent communication skills, with the ability to influence cross-functional teams and present to executives/customers/regulators. 
• Strong experience with risk management methodologies and tools (FMEA, FHA, Fault Tree Analysis). 
• Experience with integration of interdisciplinary systems in the aerospace industry.

Preferred Skills and Experience

• Demonstrated safety critical mission operations in aviation or space applications.
• Proven experience navigating the FCC Part 25 (Commercial) or Part 5 (Experimental) licensing process, for satellite and reentry communications.
• Dedicated to adopting a lean approach to quality without compromising safety or reliability.

Pay Range

• Salary range: $140,333 - $179,314/per year
• 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
• You will be eligible for incentives in the form of stock options and/or long-term cash awards

Benefits

Consider your benefits covered for launch. At Varda, we invest in benefits and perks that support your health, financial well-being, and life beyond work. Benefits vary by position, with packages designed specifically for our regular full-time employees and interns. 

Regular Full-Time Positions: 

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 

 

Benefits for Internship Positions: 

Health & Wellness   

• Paid observed holidays.   

• 100% company-paid Medical, Dental, and Vision insurance plans for employees and dependents with FSA and employer-matched HSA options.  

• $120/month wellness reimbursement for gym and fitness expenses.   

• Sponsored One Medical memberships for employees and their dependents.   

 

Financial   

• $20/pay period cell phone reimbursement.   

• Up to $4,000 gross up in relocation support, if eligible  

• Up to $850 commute credit through Lyft or car rental reimbursement, if eligible.   

 

Workplace Experience & Perks  

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