Manager of Avionics Systems

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.

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

As the Manager of Avionics Systems at Varda, you will be a technical leader overseeing the design, integration, and test of avionics systems for our spacecraft. You’ll manage a team of engineers across power, RF communications, systems, and test disciplines, coordinating across multiple programs ranging from pharmaceutical payloads to hypersonic reentry testbeds. In this role, you’ll drive execution of the avionics roadmap and ensure your team delivers reliable, flight-proven hardware as we develop the next affordable manufacturing platform in space.

Responsibilities

• Lead the Avionics Systems in the design and integration of Compute, Sense, Power, and Communications subsystems across multiple vehicle programs.

• Conduct and coordinate trade studies, analysis, test planning, and execution within each subsystem to drive down risk and ensure system-level performance requirements are met.

• Manage the integration and operations of each platform’s Hardware in the Loop (HITL) testbed to replicate space-based flight platforms.

• Build and validate Ground Support Equipment (GSE) necessary to telemeter vehicle data, command vehicle actions, as well as simulate flight like environments.

• Coordinate across the organization on integration schedules, program milestones, and cross-disciplinary dependencies to keep multiple programs on track.

• Support system-level validation tests and integration test plans to verify vehicle readiness for flight, diving into system interactions and details alongside your team.

• Leverage commercially available tools to accelerate analysis, simulation, and modeling to demonstrate successful system behaviors and performance.

• Mentor and grow engineers on the team, helping them develop technical depth and take on increasing responsibility across parallel missions.

• Promote a culture of continuous improvement, encouraging the team to adopt new technologies, improve processes, and increase test automation.

• Develop your team as subject matter experts to support spacecraft operations on orbit from our Mission Operations headquarters in El Segundo, CA.

Qualifications

• Education: Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, or a related field.

• Experience: Minimum of 5 years of experience in Avionics Hardware or Systems development, with at least 1 year in a technical leadership or team lead role within the aerospace industry.

• Technical Expertise: Strong understanding of Avionics Systems, including compute, sensing, power distribution, and communication systems.

• Project Management: Experience managing avionics projects from concept through deployment, including tracking schedules and coordinating resources across engineering teams.

• Leadership Skills: Demonstrated ability to mentor engineers and coordinate cross-functional teams in a collaborative work environment.

• Problem-Solving Abilities: Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with the ability to make data-driven decisions and manage technical risks.

• Communication Skills: Strong verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to present technical concepts to both engineering and non-engineering audiences.

• Industry Knowledge: Familiarity with aerospace industry standards and practices, including experience with qualification and acceptance testing processes.

• Adaptability: Ability to thrive in a fast-paced, dynamic environment and adapt to changing priorities and requirements.

Pay Range

• Salary range: $170,000 - $198,000/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. At present, some of our technology to which employees have access requires a license to be exported to individuals other than “U.S. Persons” as defined in U.S. export regulations. Because our employees are provided access to export-controlled items, our current 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 in the U.S.)

Learn more about the ITAR here.

Benefits

• Exciting team of professionals at the top of their field working by your side
• Equity in a fully funded space startup with potential for significant growth (interns excluded)
• 401(k) matching (interns excluded)
• Unlimited PTO (interns excluded)
• Health insurance, including Vision and Dental
• Lunch and snacks provided on site every day. Dinners provided twice a week.
• Maternity / Paternity leave (interns excluded)

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.

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.

E-Verify Notice Right To Work Notice

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