Principal Fluid Systems Engineer - Payloads

Responsibilities

• As a Principal Fluid Systems Engineer on Varda's Payload team, you will define and lead the development of first-of-its-kind electromechanical fluid handling hardware that manufactures pharmaceuticals in microgravity, endures hypersonic reentry, and returns to Earth for material extraction.
• You’ll shape the architecture and technical direction for pharmaceutical payloads—guiding project teams from requirements synthesis through development, on-orbit operation, recovery, and iteration for future missions.
• You’ll collaborate closely with pharmaceutical scientists, process engineers, internal leadership, and spacecraft subsystem teams to translate mission objectives into qualified hardware that flies in months, not years. This role is ideal for engineers who combine deep mechanical and fluid systems expertise with the cross-functional breadth to define foundational in-space pharmaceutical manufacturing infrastructure.
• Define requirements, architecture, and development plans for pharmaceutical manufacturing payloads
• Establish fluid system design standards for component selection and qualification, sealing, contamination control, thermal control, and verification/validation
• Lead project teams to develop of precision fluid systems incorporating valves, pumps, pistons, manifolds, tubing, fittings, seals, filters, sensors, and thermal control systems
• Drive system-level analyses, trade studies, and risk reduction using a variety of tools (hand calcs, Python/MATLAB models, FEA, etc. as needed)
• Lead build and test campaigns for prototypes and flight hardware to characterize performance and reliability
• Synthesize cross-functional inputs from business development, pharmaceutical science, process engineering, and spacecraft subsystem teams to develop requirements for new pharmaceutical payloads
• Develop standards for subsystem requirements, ICDs, verification plans, test reports, and recovery procedures
• Represent Varda in technical discussions with internal leadership, external partners, customers, and government stakeholders
• Lead continuous improvement and incorporation of lessons learned
• Mentor senior and entry-level engineers and shape best practices

Requirements

• 7+ years of experience designing, integrating, testing, and troubleshooting electromechanical hardware
• Extensive experience with valves, pumps, pistons, tubing, manifolds, fittings, seals, filters, sensors, metering hardware, thermal-control hardware, and/or compact fluidic assemblies
• Excellent communication skills with customer, executive, and cross-disciplinary technical audiences

Preferred

3+ years of cross-functional project leadership experience

• Prior full-cycle technical leadership of precision fluid-handling hardware for relevant applications
• In Space: ECLSS, low-thrust propulsion, astronaut suits, spacecraft thermal control, etc.
• On Earth: semiconductor process equipment, biotech process equipment, analytical instruments, medical devices, etc.
• Extensive experience planning and executing aerospace environmental testing (vibration, TVAC, EMI/EMC)
• Familiarity with microgravity fluid behavior, capillary-driven flows, gas/liquid separation, two-phase flow, cGMP principles, cleanroom practices, or regulated hardware environments

About this Role

Your payloads will precisely meter, mix, filter, transport, and thermally control pharmaceutical materials in compact spacecraft-compatible hardware.

Basic Qualifications

• BS/BEng in Mechanical, Aerospace, Mechatronics, Biomedical, Chemical, or related engineering discipline
• Deep mechanical and fluid systems expertise with breadth in at least two adjacent disciplines such as avionics, software, thermal, optics, test, precision instrumentation, etc.
• Track record leading project teams through full-cycle electromechanical space flight hardware development

Pay Range

Salary range: $181,913 - $232,444/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

ITAR Requirements

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” who are permitted to have access to our technology without an export license.

“US person” means: U.S. citizen, U.S. lawful permanent resident, or protected individual as defined by 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3) (i.e., individual admitted to the U.S. as a refugee or granted asylum).

E-Verify Statement

Varda Space Industries, Inc. participates in the U.S. Department of Homeland Security E-Verify program. The E-Verify program is an Internet-based employment eligibility verification system operated by the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Learn more about the

E-Verify program.

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Varda Space Industries is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees. Candidates and employees are always evaluated based on merit, qualifications, and performance. We will never discriminate on the basis of race, color, gender, national origin, ethnicity, veteran status, disability status, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, martial status, mental or physical disability, or any other legally protected status.