Joblaze summary

In the role of Mechanisms Engineer II at Varda Space, the engineer will focus on developing electromechanical flight hardware for various payloads, overseeing the entire process from design to recovery. Key skills include a strong foundation in mechanical engineering principles, experience with electromechanical systems, and proficiency in CAD and FEA tools. This position is suited for engineers with at least two years of relevant experience who are eager to expand their expertise across multiple engineering disciplines. Varda's team comprises industry veterans, fostering a collaborative environment aimed at advancing commercial space infrastructure.

Joblaze insights

Listed today — first seen on Joblaze November 10, 2026. Last confirmed on Varda Space's careers page November 10, 2026.
Salary band is in line with the typical range for comparable tech roles (median ~$127,500).
Starts above 74% of 61 comparable mid other roles in United States that list Mechanical Engineering we track (median $100,000 across 14 companies). See Mechanical Engineering salary trends
Mechanical Engineering appears in 4.3% of 3463 comparable mid other roles in United States; electromechanical hardware appears in 0.1% of 3463 comparable mid other roles in United States.

Quick facts

Is the Mechanisms Engineer II - Payloads role remote?: No — this is an on-site role in El Segundo, California, United States.
What's the salary range?: Varda Space lists $119,543–$152,749 for this role.
How much experience is required?: At least 2 years of relevant experience for this Mechanisms Engineer II - Payloads role.
Where is the role based?: Varda Space is hiring for this position in El Segundo, California, United States.
What's the tech stack?: Joblaze extracted these technologies from the posting: Aerospace, CAD, FEA, Mechanical Engineering, electromechanical hardware.
What seniority level is this role?: Varda Space targets mid-level candidates for this position.
Is this full-time or contract?: Full-time for this Mechanisms Engineer II - Payloads role at Varda Space.

From the original posting

About Varda

About this Role

As a Mechanisms Engineer II on Varda’s Payload team, you will develop electromechanical flight hardware that operates in orbit, endures hypersonic reentry, and returns to Earth for inspection and iteration. You will take full-stack responsibility for payloads across both pharmaceutical manufacturing and hypersonic reentry testbed missions—delivering flight hardware from concept through build, test, launch, and recovery.

You’ll collaborate closely with internal specialists and external partners, translate engineering requirements into flight-ready designs, and perform hands-on integration and testing to deliver hardware that flies in months, not years. This role is ideal for engineers with strong mechanical fundamentals who want to grow their breadth across thermal, fluids, avionics, software, and integration while shipping real hardware to space and back.

Responsibilities

Own payload hardware from concept through design, integration, launch, reentry, and recovery
Design mechanisms, structures, thermal/fluid interfaces, and electromechanical assemblies
Run structural, thermal, and fluid analyses (hand calcs, simplified models, and FEA as needed)
Build, instrument, and test prototypes and flight hardware
Work across avionics, software, thermal, systems, and integration teams to define interfaces and ensure compatibility
Serve as the primary technical point of contact for assigned payloads
Generate documentation: requirements, ICDs, procedures, test reports
Support mission operations and post-flight teardown
Contribute to lessons learned and continuous improvement

Basic Qualifications

BS/BEng in Mechanical, Aerospace, Mechatronics, or related engineering discipline
2+ years of design and analysis experience working on complex electro-mechanical hardware or comparable mechanisms
Strong fundamentals in structures, heat transfer, fluids, and dynamics
Hands-on experience designing, integrating, testing, and troubleshooting electromechanical hardware
Ability to communicate effectively across disciplines

Preferred Qualifications

Experience integrating electromechanical actuators, sensors, thermal control hardware and/or fluid control hardware
Experience using CAD (NX preferred) and FEA (Ansys, Nastran)
Exposure to aerospace environmental testing (vibration, TVAC, EMI/EMC)
Customer-facing technical communication experience
Ability to obtain a government security clearance

Pay Range

Salary range: $119,543 - $152,749/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

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Mechanisms Engineer II - Payloads