Senior Fluid Systems Engineer

Responsibilities

• Own pharmaceutical manufacturing payloads from concept through design, integration, launch, in-orbit operation, reentry, and recovery
• Lead the design of precision fluid systems including valves, pumps, pistons, manifolds, tubing, fittings, seals, filters, sensors, and thermal-control systems
• Independently perform fluid, thermal, structural, and mechanism analyses using hand calculations, Python/MATLAB models, and FEA
• Build, instrument, and test prototypes and flight hardware to characterize flow rate, mixing, filtration, sealing, and reliability
• Integrate cross-functional inputs from pharmaceutical science and spacecraft subsystem teams into payload requirements
• Develop subsystem requirements, ICDs, verification plans, test reports, and recovery procedures
• Mentor entry-level engineers and interns

Requirements

• BS/BEng in Mechanical, Aerospace, Mechatronics, Biomedical, Chemical, or related engineering discipline
• 4+ years of experience designing, integrating, testing, and troubleshooting electromechanical hardware
• Strong mechanical and fluid systems expertise with breadth in adjacent disciplines such as avionics, software, or thermal
• Experience delivering hardware for rigorous environments such as aerospace, defense, semiconductor, or biotech manufacturing
• Hands-on experience with valves, pumps, tubing, manifolds, fittings, seals, filters, and sensors
• Ability to independently define tasks, manage schedules, and deliver integrated hardware
• Excellent cross-disciplinary communication skills

Preferred Qualifications

• Prior full-cycle ownership of precision fluid-handling hardware (e.g., ECLSS, propulsion, semiconductor equipment, or medical devices)
• Experience with P&IDs, fluid schematics, component sizing, and 0D/1D fluid/thermal modeling
• Experience with compact systems controlling small volumes under thermal, cleanliness, or pressure constraints
• Experience planning and executing aerospace environmental testing (vibration, TVAC, EMI/EMC)
• Familiarity with microgravity fluid behavior, two-phase flow, or cGMP principles

Benefits

• Equity in a fully funded space startup with potential for significant growth
• 401(k) matching
• Unlimited PTO
• Health insurance, including Vision and Dental
• On-site lunch and snacks provided daily, with dinners provided twice a week
• Maternity / Paternity leave

About the Company

Varda is accelerating the development of commercial space infrastructure, from in-orbit pharmaceutical processing to reliable and economical reentry capsules. Our mission is to expand the economic bounds of humankind by creating the products and infrastructure needed so space can directly benefit life on Earth.