Varda Space Industries
Payload Systems Integration and Test Engineer
About this role
Varda seeks a Payload Systems Integration and Test Engineer to manage end-to-end mission success for diverse payloads—both internal pharma systems and customer-hosted hardware—aboard the company's commercial space vehicles. You'll define payload-vehicle interfaces, execute integration and environmental testing campaigns, troubleshoot technical issues, and coordinate with mission operations to deliver flight-ready payloads and post-mission data.
What you'll do
- Own assigned payloads from initial scoping through post-flight data delivery
- Define payload-to-vehicle interfaces, capture requirements in ICDs, and coordinate vehicle modifications
- Serve as primary technical contact for external payload customers throughout mission lifecycle
- Plan and execute payload-level integration and test activities including environmental testing (vibration, EMI/EMC, TVAC)
- Coordinate with Vehicle I&T engineers on full-vehicle test and payload installation activities
- Identify, document, and resolve technical issues during integration and test phases
What they're looking for
- Systems integration and testing of spacecraft or complex electro-mechanical hardware
- Interface definition and requirements capture (ICD development)
- Environmental testing (vibration, thermal vacuum, EMI/EMC)
- Hands-on cleanroom work and flight hardware handling
- Technical troubleshooting and first-principles problem solving
- Cross-functional coordination across engineering disciplines
- Written and verbal communication for technical documentation and customer interaction
- Mission operations and flight procedures planning
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Varda Space Industries
Varda Space Industries builds commercial spacecraft and orbital manufacturing systems for missions in low Earth orbit, including reentry capsules and satellite buses. The company is hiring mission operations engineers, software engineers (ground segment, flight, and embedded), and manufacturing engineers to develop mission-critical systems, operational infrastructure, and scalable production capabilities.
- Website
- varda.com
Likely interview questions
- Walk us through a payload integration project you've led—what were the key interface challenges and how did you resolve them?
- Describe your experience with environmental testing (vibration, thermal vacuum, EMI/EMC). How have you used test results to validate hardware readiness?