Bachelor's degree in aerospace, computer science, electrical, manufacturing, mechanical, or material sciences engineering.
5+ years of experience in aerospace, design, quality, or related engineering role.
Hands-on experience in hardware testing, qualification, troubleshooting, or failure analysis.
Commitment to lean quality principles while ensuring safety and reliability.
Experience with process controls in high-volume manufacturing and quality environments.
Ability to analyze data for production insights.
Strong interpersonal skills and a collaborative mindset focused on innovation.
Responsibilities
Collaborate with design and manufacturing teams to develop test and inspection plans for spacecraft hardware.
Guide quality inspectors and engineers in managing non-conforming products.
Lead investigations into failures during production and testing, addressing root causes to enhance reliability.
Conduct peer reviews of hardware during design and testing phases.
Perform failure modes and effects analyses and ensure compliance with build requirements.
Manage vehicle-level deliverables for regulatory compliance and verification.
Assist in vehicle-level risk management and execution of mitigation strategies.
Benefits
On-site role in El Segundo, CA.
Eligibility for stock options and long-term cash awards.
Full Job Description
About This Role
The Senior Space Build Reliability Engineer partners closely with the design and manufacturing teams to right-size processes and controls to enable scaling the production of spacecraft hardware. Build Reliability Engineers ensure production processes yield verified, reliable hardware at rate. You will flex beyond Build Reliability to support Quality, Flight Reliability, and Mission Assurance. The ideal candidate is a responsible, collaborative, process-oriented engineer with hands-on hardware design/test/manufacturing/troubleshooting experience. Responsibilities
Partner with design engineering and manufacturing teams to create test, manufacturability, and inspection plans for all vehicle hardware.
Contain suspect or known non-conforming product, providing guidance to quality inspectors, technicians, shop supervisors, and engineers.
Lead failure investigations in production, test, and operation; identifying and mitigating immediate and underlying root causes to reduce risk and improve the reliability of designs and processes.
Provide critical peer review of hardware during design reviews and acceptance and qualification test campaigns.
Perform failure modes and effects analyses, build requirements compliance matrix tools, and ensure adequate test coverage, change management, and manufacturability of flight hardware.
Own vehicle level deliverables for regulatory bodies including requirements compliance, functional or flight hazard analyses, and verification evidence.
Support Mission Assurance's vehicle level risk management and identification/tracking/execution of mitigations.
Basic Qualifications
Bachelor's degree in aerospace, computer science, electrical, manufacturing, mechanical, or material sciences engineering.
5+ years professional experience in aerospace, design, quality, or related engineering role.
Hands-on hardware test, qualification, troubleshooting, or failure analysis experience.
Commitment to lean quality principles without compromising safety or reliability.
Demonstrated application of process controls in high volume manufacturing, test, and quality environments.
Experience generating, processing, and/or analyzing data for production insight.
Strong interpersonal and collaborative skills, with a drive to innovate and improve reliability in cutting-edge technology.
Preferred Skills and Experience
Full project lifecycle ownership experience (cradle-to-grave).
Proficiency with quality tools such as measurement systems analysis, design of experiments, statistical process control, root cause analysis and corrective action, advanced product quality planning (APQP), metrology, process failure mode and effects analysis (PFMEA), control plans, and various problem-solving approaches.
Hands-on knowledge of CNC machining, additive manufacturing, casting, welding, fastening, or other special manufacturing processes.
Pay Range
Salary range: Senior: $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.
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).
