Automation and Controls Engineer - Beckhoff & Python Verified today

About Varda

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

What you will do

Your Automation and Controls team builds bespoke test infrastructure that qualifies spaceflight hardware for orbit. You will design, build, and own sophisticated ground support equipment and test systems: propulsion test stands, environmental qualification chambers, spacecraft-level integration testing and more. The stack is modern, including a custom PLC framework and Beckhoff EtherCAT tooling built in-house. You will have a meaningful impact on architecture decisions and the chance to define standards that will outlast any single program.

• Design, build, and maintain test systems and ground support equipment for flight hardware qualification and manufacturing operations.
• Integrate with external hardware, including thermal vacuum chambers, ovens, chillers, pressure systems, data acquisition hardware, and precision instrumentation.
• Develop and extend Varda's internal PLC framework and EtherCAT tooling to support evolving program needs.
• Contribute to architecture decisions on real-time control implementation, including evaluation of PLC-based (TwinCAT 3) versus Linux-based approaches for high-frequency control applications.
• Build cabinets, wire panels, and own systems end-to-end from electrical design through commissioning.
• Partner with propulsion, avionics, GNC, and manufacturing teams to deliver test infrastructure on aggressive timelines.
• Champion sustainable engineering practices that enable new engineers to ramp quickly and maintain production systems reliably.

What you will bring

• Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or a related field.
• 2 or more years of industry experience in test automation, controls, and/or industrial automation.
• Hands-on experience integrating with industrial hardware over protocols such as EtherCAT, Modbus (TCP/RTU), RS-232/485 serial, or similar communication standards.
• Experience with at least one modern PLC ecosystem, ideally Beckhoff TwinCAT 3 with structured text (IEC 61131-3), or a demonstrated eagerness to develop deep expertise.
• Comfort working across the full stack: writing control software, designing electrical panels, wiring cabinets, and debugging hardware.
• Proven ability to thrive in a fast-paced startup environment where priorities shift and end-to-end ownership of problems is expected.

Preferred Qualifications

• Strong intuition for when to use real-time PLC code versus higher-level Python orchestration, and a clear understanding of the tradeoffs.
• Experience working with custom or in-house control frameworks.
• Advanced EtherCAT expertise including DC sync, ENI configuration, master implementation, or driver-level work.
• Production experience with TwinCAT 3, structured text, and the broader IEC 61131-3 language suite.
• Experience designing deterministic, hard real-time control loops with sub-millisecond cycle times.
• Familiarity with time-series data acquisition and visualization tools such as Grafana or InfluxDB.
• Aerospace experience, particularly in spacecraft testing or GSE development.
• Environmental test experience, including TVAC, thermal cycling, and vibration testing.
• Hands-on experience with high-pressure gas or fluid systems.
• Experience developing propulsion test stands or other complex, multi-subsystem test infrastructure.
• Familiarity with spacecraft qualification standards and associated documentation requirements.
• Experience developing safety-related control systems.

Compensation

• Salary range: $109,000 to $153,000 annually.
• Eligible for stock options and/or long-term cash awards.
• 401(k) retirement plan with 6% employer match (immediately vested).

Location and Work Environment

This role is on-site in El Segundo, California. Base salary is determined by job-related skills, education level, experience level, and job performance.

Benefits

Full-time employees receive: flexible PTO plus 12 paid holidays; 100% company-paid medical, dental, and vision insurance for employees and dependents with FSA and employer-matched HSA options; $120 monthly wellness reimbursement; 12 weeks parental leave; sponsored One Medical memberships; 401(k) with 6% match; $20 per pay period cell phone reimbursement; relocation support for new hires; fully stocked kitchen with lunch provided daily and dinner twice weekly; EV charging; and company events.

ITAR Requirement

This role requires access to export-controlled items. Varda hires only U.S. persons as defined by ITAR regulations.