Senior Fluid Systems Engineer - Pharmaceutical Payloads

About Varda

Low Earth orbit is open for business. Varda is accelerating the development of commercial space infrastructure, from in-orbit pharmaceutical processing to reliable and economical reentry capsules. Varda’s W-Series vehicles are built, designed, and operated by Varda in-house, including the pharmaceutical processing payloads, the capsules, the C-PICA heat shields, and the satellite buses.

From life-saving pharmaceuticals to more powerful fiber optics, there is a world of products used on Earth today that can only be manufactured in space. Varda is accelerating innovation in the orbital economy by creating both the products and infrastructure needed so space can directly benefit life on Earth. Our mission is to expand the economic bounds of humankind.

Our team is uniquely suited to accomplishing this goal, with leadership and staff comprised of veterans from SpaceX, Blue Origin, major pharmaceutical companies and Silicon Valley. Varda was founded in January 2021 by Will Bruey and Delian Asparouhov with significant backing from world class investors including Khosla Ventures, Lux Capital, Founders Fund, Caffeinated Capital, General Catalyst, and Also Capital.

Varda is headquartered in El Segundo, California, where we have offices and a production facility where our vehicles, equipment, and materials are built, integrated, and tested. Varda also has offices in Washington, DC and Huntsville, AL.

Join Varda, and work to create a bustling in-space ecosystem.

About this Role

As a Senior Fluid Systems Engineer on Varda's Payload team, you will develop first of its kind electromechanical fluid-handling hardware that manufactures pharmaceuticals in microgravity, endures hypersonic reentry, and returns to Earth for material extraction. Your payloads will precisely meter, mix, filter, transport, and thermally control pharmaceutical materials in compact spacecraft-compatible hardware. You'll be responsible for the full payload lifecycle—driving development from concept through design, analysis, build, test, launch, on-orbit operation, recovery, post-flight inspection, and iteration for future missions.

You'll collaborate closely with pharmaceutical scientists and process engineers to translate mission objectives into qualified hardware that flies in months, not years. This role is ideal for engineers who pair strong mechanical and fluid systems expertise with the breadth to drive cross-functional efforts across thermal, mechanisms, avionics, software, integration, and test while delivering complex hardware on short development timelines.

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 (hand calcs, Python/MATLAB models, and FEA as needed)

Build, instrument, and test prototypes and flight hardware to characterize flow rate, mixing, filtration, sealing, leak rate, pressure drop, thermal stability, contamination sensitivity, and reliability

Integrate cross-functional inputs from business development, pharmaceutical science, and spacecraft subsystem teams into payload requirements

Develop subsystem requirements, ICDs, verification plans, test reports, and recovery procedures

Lead continuous improvement and incorporation of lessons learned

Mentor entry-level engineers and interns

Basic Qualifications

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 at least one adjacent discipline such as avionics, software, thermal, optics, test, precision instrumentation, etc.

Experience delivering hardware for rigorous environments such as aerospace, defense, semiconductor manufacturing, or biotech manufacturing

Experience with valves, pumps, pistons, tubing, manifolds, fittings, seals, filters, sensors, metering hardware, thermal-control hardware, and/or compact fluidic assemblies

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 for relevant applications

In Space: ECLSS, low-thrust propulsion, astronaut suits, spacecraft thermal control, etc.

On Earth: semiconductor process equipment, biotech process equipment, analytical instruments, medical devices, etc.

Experience with P&IDs, fluid schematics, component sizing, pressure-drop analysis, leak testing, flow characterization, 0D/1D fluid/thermal modeling, or design of experiments for process hardware

Experience with compact systems that control small volumes of liquids or gases under thermal, cleanliness, pressure, sterility, or contamination constraints

Experience planning and executing aerospace environmental testing (vibration, TVAC, EMI/EMC)

Familiarity with microgravity fluid behavior, capillary-driven flows, gas/liquid separation, two-phase flow, cGMP principles, cleanroom practices, or regulated hardware environments

Pay Range

Salary range: $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

Benefits

Consider your benefits covered for launch. At Varda, we invest in benefits and perks that support your health, financial well-being, and life beyond work. Benefits vary by position, with packages designed specifically for our regular full-time employees and interns.

Regular Full-Time Positions:

Health & Wellness

Flexible PTO policy + 12 paid holidays

100% company-paid Medical, Dental, and Vision insurance plans for employees and dependents with FSA and employer-matched HSA options

Voluntary accident, hospital, critical illness, and pet insurance

$120/month wellness reimbursement for gym and fitness expenses

12 weeks of parental leave (with supplemental disability leave for CA mothers)

Family building, pregnancy, parenting and menopause benefits via Maven Clinic

Sponsored One Medical memberships for employees and their dependents

Financial & Retirement

Substantial incentive equity in a fully funded space start-up

401(k) retirement plan with 6% employer match (immediately vested)

$20/pay period cell phone reimbursement

Relocation support for new hires, if needed

Workplace Experience & Perks

Fully stocked kitchen with lunch provided daily and dinner provided twice weekly

Company and team-bonding events, happy hours and mission-success celebrations

Complimentary EV charging

Benefits for Internship Positions:

Health & Wellness

Paid observed holidays.

100% company-paid Medical, Dental, and Vision insurance plans for employees and dependents with FSA and employer-matched HSA options.

$120/month wellness reimbursement for gym and fitness expenses.

Sponsored One Medical memberships for employees and their dependents.

Financial

$20/pay period cell phone reimbursement.

Up to $4,000 gross up in relocation support, if eligible

Up to $850 commute credit through Lyft or car rental reimbursement, if eligible.

Workplace Experience & Perks

Fully stocked kitchen with lunch provided daily and dinner provided twice weekly

Company and team-bonding events, happy hours and mission-success celebrations

Complimentary EV charging

ITAR Requirements

Varda, like all employers, must ensure that its employees work