Senior Spacecraft Flight Software Engineer
Varda Space Industries· Commercial Space· Oct 25, 2026 · 2d ago
El Segundo, California, United States
In office
Full-time
Senior
$169K–$216K
5+ years exp
Job description
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
The Senior Spacecraft Flight Software Engineer is responsible for determining how our spacecraft behaves and operates in orbit and building reliable software to ensure it happens. The team is responsible for all phases of development, starting from requirements capture through testing and flight operational support.
Responsibilities
Develop reliable flight software that determine how the spacecraft, satellite bus, and reentry capsule operate throughout the entire mission.
Write quality structured bare metal, RTOS, or Linux based software for embedded processors in C++.
Own all aspects of software development, from design, testing, and integration.
Scope projects including requirements capture and initial design trades given open-ended problems.
Ensure system quality and performance through software test, verification, and validation (V&V) technique.
Teamwork, communicate and problem solve in a collaborative environment.
Basic Qualifications
Bachelor's degree in computer science, math, physics, engineering or equivalent technical experience in safety critical software.
5+ years of experience in the development of spacecraft or similar safety critical software.
Experience with development in C++, along with a strong understanding of the language concepts.
Preferred Skills and Experience
End-to-end experience building and launching a spacecraft.
Experience developing and testing real-time embedded systems.
Experience with safety-critical software, especially for aerospace applications.
Experience with CCSDS telemetry and telecommand system.
Experience with F' or cFS framework.
Experience with Python, or Rust.
Knowledge of basic analog and digital electronics.
Familiarity with SPI, I2C, CAN, EtherCAT.
Pay Range
Salary range: Senior Software Engineer: $169,067 - $216,031/ 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
Varda, like all employers, must ensure that its employees working in the United States are lawfully authorized to work in the U.S. Additionally, our employees are exposed to and have access to certain export-controlled items. Because our employees are provided access to export-controlled items, our policy is to only hire “U.S. persons” who are permitted to have access to our technology without an export license. “US person” means: U.S. citizen, U.S. lawful permanent resident, or protected individual as defined by 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3) (i.e., individual admitted to the U.S. as a refugee or granted asylum).
E-Verify Statement
Varda Space Industries, Inc. participates in the U.S. Department of Homeland Security E-Verify program. The E-Verify program is an Internet-based employment eligibility verification system operated by the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Learn more about the E-Verify program.
E-Verify Notice Right To Work Notice
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Varda Space Industries is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees. Candidates and employees are always evaluated based on merit, qualifications, and performance. We will never discriminate on the basis of race, color, gender, national origin, ethnicity, veteran status, disability status, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, martial status, mental or physical disability, or any other legally protected status.
Application prep
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