Terrestrial Automation and Controls Engineer II
Varda Space Industries · El Segundo, California, United States
Posted 13 days ago · $119,543 - $152,749
or apply directly on Varda Space Industries's site. We never take the application ourselves.
Is this posting real?
- This role has been open
- 13 days Varda Space Industries's roles stay open a median of 45 days
- Reposted
- No
- Salary listed
- Yes 81% of Varda Space Industries's roles list one
- Ghost-job risk at Varda Space Industries
- high 48 stale, 0 reposted of 86 open
- Hiring momentum
- 215 roles opened in the last 90 days ↑ up vs. the prior 90 days
- Last confirmed on the employer's board
- 2026-09-17
Measured from postings appearing on and disappearing from Varda Space Industries's own greenhouse board since 2026-08-03. Full hiring picture for Varda Space Industries.
About this role
The Automation and Controls Engineer II at Varda is responsible for designing, building, and maintaining test systems and ground support equipment for spaceflight hardware qualification. This role involves integrating various external hardware, developing internal PLC frameworks, and collaborating with multiple teams to ensure test infrastructure meets operational needs. The engineer will also contribute to architectural decisions and promote sustainable engineering practices within the team.
- benefits
- 5/5
- freshness
- 4/5
- career value
- 4/5
- role clarity
- 4/5
- pay transparency
- 5/5
Scored from the posting itself — how clearly the role is described, how much it says about pay and benefits, and how recently it was listed. Not a judgement of Varda Space Industries as an employer.
What you need
- Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or related technical field
- 2+ 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)
- 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
Nice to have
- Strong intuition for when to use real-time PLC code versus higher-level Python orchestration
- 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
What you get
- 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
Worth weighing
- No remote work option mentioned; role is on-site in El Segundo, CA
- Salary range provided, but specific leveling and base salary depend on various factors
- Fast-paced startup environment may lead to shifting priorities
- Experience with high-pressure systems and environmental testing may be crucial for some projects
Summarised from Varda Space Industries's posting. Read the full original.
Listed by Varda Space Industries on their greenhouse job board, last confirmed open on 2026-09-17. PitchMeAI is not the employer.
More roles at Varda Space Industries
- Spacecraft Technician (Avionics Satellite Harness Manufacturing)El Segundo, California, United States
- Manufacturing Engineer II (Avionics / Electromechanical / Harnessing)El Segundo, California, United States
- Propulsion Engineer II - Hardware and Bus SystemsEl Segundo, California, United States
- Inventory SpecialistEl Segundo, California, United States
- Executive AssistantEl Segundo, California, United States
- People Manager (Human Resources)El Segundo, California, United States
- Senior Build Reliability EngineerEl Segundo, California, United States
- People Operations SpecialistEl Segundo, California, United States