Joblaze summary

The Senior Mission Operations Engineer at Varda Space is responsible for leading and executing on-orbit missions, ensuring the success of mission-unique payloads from inception to completion. This role requires a strong background in real-time operations, along with proficiency in software development using languages like Python and JavaScript, and familiarity with spacecraft systems. Ideal candidates will have significant experience in complex operations and a passion for working in a startup environment. Varda's team is composed of industry veterans, providing a collaborative atmosphere for innovation in the orbital economy.

Joblaze insights

Listed today — first seen on Joblaze November 14, 2026. Last confirmed on Varda Space's careers page November 14, 2026.
Salary band is in line with the typical range for comparable tech roles (median ~$130,000).
Starts above 38% of 299 comparable senior other roles in United States that list Python we track (median $150,000 across 61 companies). See Python salary trends
Python appears in 16.3% of 2726 comparable senior other roles in United States; HTML appears in 0.4% of 2726 comparable senior other roles in United States.

Quick facts

Is the Senior Mission Operations Engineer role remote?: No — this is an on-site role in El Segundo, California, United States.
What's the salary range?: Varda Space lists $140,333–$179,314 for this role.
How much experience is required?: At least 5 years of relevant experience for this Senior Mission Operations Engineer 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: HTML, JavaScript, Python.
What seniority level is this role?: Varda Space targets senior candidates for this position.
Is this full-time or contract?: Full-time for this Senior Mission Operations Engineer role at Varda Space.

From the original posting

About Varda

About This Role

The Senior Mission Operations Engineer is an experienced spacecraft operator. They are exceptional communicators, adept leaders, and a jack-of-all trades capable of applying cross-discipline engineering to bespoke solutions. An ideal candidate is someone passionate to work in a startup environment where you will have the opportunity to fully own on-orbit operations for our Winnie Spaceship and mold a unique new mission framework for operations in space.

Responsibilities

Develop, coordinate, execute, and lead Varda's on-orbit missions.
Own the full ops development cycle for mission-unique payloads, from the creation of mission profiles through execution.
Work with teams across the company to continuously improve upon mission operations and ensure mission success.
Automate and eliminate operational burden by building webtools.
Scale up Varda's operational capabilities to support a growing flight cadence.

Basic Qualifications

Bachelor's degree in an engineering discipline, preferably Aerospace, Electrical, or Computer Science.
5+ years of experience in a real time operations role on a complex and high consequence operation.
3+ years of experience developing software tools in Python, JavaScript, and/or HTML.
Familiarity with Avionics, GNC, Software, and Thermal design practices for spacecraft.

Preferred Skills and Experience

5+ years of experience with spacecraft systems.
Previous operator experience in a leadership role.
Previous in-orbit spacecraft operations experience.
Previous experience with Git and Atlassian products.
Familiarity with ground stations networks.

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

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Senior Mission Operations Engineer