Payload Systems Integration and Test Engineer

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.

As a Payload Systems Integration and Test Engineer at Varda, you will own the end-to-end mission success for a diverse portfolio of payloads, including both internally designed payloads and hosted customer payloads. Example payloads may include inertial, RF, or optical sensors or communication systems, as well as various types of pharmaceutical processing equipment and instrumentation.

You will serve as the technical bridge between each payload and the Varda vehicle, defining interfaces, planning and executing integration and test campaigns, coordinating in-orbit operations, and ensuring safe recovery of payload data and hardware. When payloads require special accommodations or vehicle modifications, you will work across the vehicle engineering team to scope and implement these changes.

This role is ideal for system-minded engineers with broad cross-disciplinary background, looking to do both concept synthesis as well as hands-on integration and test.

• Act as responsible engineer for assigned payloads from initial scoping through post-flight data delivery, for both in-house pharma payloads and hosted customer payloads

• Work with payload providers to scope and define payload-to-vehicle interfaces, capture requirements in ICDs and coordinate any special accommodations or vehicle changes with related engineering disciplines

• Serve as the primary technical point of contact for external payload customers throughout the mission lifecycle (early-stage scoping through deorbit and recovery)

• Plan and execute payload-level integration and test activities, including incoming inspection, functional checkouts, and environmental testing (vibration, EMI/EMC, TVAC), plus payload-specific verifications such as leak testing or pharmaceutical process testing

• Coordinate with Vehicle I&T engineers to plan & execute full-vehicle test activities (e.g., payload installation, system compatibility & vehicle-in-the-loop mission scenario testing)

• Identify, document, troubleshoot, and resolve technical issues that arise during integration and test activities

• Work with mission operations engineers to define payload flight operations, command sequences, and operations procedures, and support