{"id":1758613,"url":"https://alion.io/job/varda-space-industries-rf-components-engineer-ii","title":"RF Components Engineer II","company":{"id":58875,"name":"Varda Space Industries","domain":"varda.com","url":"https://alion.io/company/varda-space-industries","size_band":"1001-5000","is_staffing_agency":false,"employer_type":"direct","is_intermediary":false,"listed_via":null,"ats_vendor":"Greenhouse","truth_index":{"grade":"B","score":80,"open_postings":20,"ghost_share":0,"stale_share":1,"repost_share":0,"time_to_fill_p50_days":6,"computed_at":"2026-10-10T05:45:15Z"}},"role":"Hardware","role_family":"Hardware","seniority":"middle","employment_type":"full_time","work_mode":"on_site","remote_scope":null,"remote_scope_basis":null,"remote_working_hours":null,"hiring_geo_confidence":"explicit","locations":["El Segundo, United States"],"countries":["US"],"hiring_countries":[],"hiring_countries_total":0,"salary":{"min":144020,"max":184026,"currency":"USD","period":"year","gross":null,"usd_annual":184026},"salary_estimate":null,"experience_years_min":null,"visa_sponsorship":false,"relocation_package":false,"has_equity":true,"technologies":[{"name":"Python","optional":false},{"name":"Human-in-the-Loop","optional":true},{"name":"Unix","optional":true}],"status":"live","first_seen_at":"2026-10-03T00:11:26Z","employer_posted_date":"2026-10-03","last_verified_at":"2026-10-11T20:50:12Z","board_verified":true,"closed_at":null,"days_open":8,"trust":{"level":"ok","repost_count":null,"flags":[],"days_open":8},"description":"About Varda\nLow 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.\nFrom 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. \nOur 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. \nVarda 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. \nJoin Varda, and work to create a bustling in-space ecosystem.\nAbout This Role \nAs an RF Component Engineer at Varda, you will play a pivotal role in ensuring seamless connectivity between our satellite vehicles and ground stations. You will be responsible for the complete lifecycle of each RF component, collaborating closely with RF Systems Engineers to define component specifications and to either select or design the necessary hardware. Your work will be crucial in rigorously validating components before their deployment to space. This role requires a strong sense of ownership over your hardware, continually setting new standards for testing RF components before flight.\nSome people say that you only have one chance to fly to space so you must be certain it will work. At Varda, we believe that the trip to space and back is the easiest trip our hardware takes. We stress our components above and beyond the levels it should expect to see in flight and we investigate our failures thoroughly. Come join our team and build quality electronics that you will get to see fly over and over again.\nResponsibilities \nServe as the Responsible Engineer for RF flight components, including radios, power amplifiers, antennas and filters.\nCollaborate with RF Systems Engineers to refine product specifications, select or design appropriate components, and oversee the entire product lifecycle.\nWork closely with Flight Software, Structures, and Integration & Test teams to document cross-functional interface requirements for a successful deployment of hardware onto the flight vehicle.\nTake ultimate ownership of product acceptance and qualification testing for space environments, including Thermal, Vibration, Shock, TVAC, and EMI.\nDevelop test software to automate equipment, stimulate, and measure component performance, ensuring consistent flight hardware readiness.\nConduct root cause analysis on test failures and implement comprehensive mitigation strategies for flight risks.\nBasic Qualifications \nB.S. in Electrical Engineering, RF Engineering, or a related field.Open to candidates of all experience levels, with role and responsibility adjustments made accordingly.\n\nStrong hands-on experience with RF test equipment including VNAs, spectrum analyzers, oscilloscopes, function generators, power meters and power supplies.\nFamiliarity with RF components including LNAs, power amplifiers, mixers, filters, oscillators/synthesizers, attenuators, and switches.\nExperience designing and integrating RF components into complete transmit or receive signal chains.\nProven track record of extreme ownership over projects, leading them to successful completion.\nProficiency with Python, familiarity with test software libraries like PyVISA for communication with test equipment.\nDemonstrated curiosity and commitment to exploring foundational concepts and pursuing detailed insights with diligence.\nPreferred Skills and Experience \nPrior experience standing up HITL testbeds, managing configuration control, and driving and operating system-level tests. \nFamiliarity with Unix environments.\nExperience developing test cases and test equipment to meet vehicle operating conditions.\nExperience operating environmental test equipment (vibration shakers, TVAC chambers, or thermal chambers).\nStrong project or program management skills. \nThrive in a dynamic work environment that values teamwork, innovation, and tackling challenges head-on. Be prepared for exposure to diverse tasks and a commitment to personal and professional growth. \nPay Range\nSalary range:Engineer II: $144,020 - $184,026/per year\n\nThis role is on-site in El Segundo, CA\nLeveling and base salary is determined by job-related skills, education level, experience level, and job performance\nYou will be eligible for long-term incentives in the form of stock options and/or long-term cash awards\nBenefits\nConsider 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.\nRegular Full-Time Positions:\nHealth & Wellness \nFlexible PTO policy + 12 paid holidays \n100% company-paid Medical, Dental, and Vision insurance plans for employees and dependents with FSA and employer-matched HSA options \nVoluntary accident, hospital, critical illness, and pet insurance \n$120/month wellness reimbursement for gym and fitness expenses \n12 weeks of parental leave (with supplemental disability leave for CA mothers) \nFamily building, pregnancy, parenting and menopause benefits via Maven Clinic \nSponsored One Medical memberships for employees and their dependents \nFinancial & Retirement \nSubstantial incentive equity in a fully funded space start-up \n401(k) retirement plan with 6% employer match (immediately vested) \n$20/pay period cell phone reimbursement \nRelocation support for new hires, if needed \nWorkplace Experience & Perks\nFully stocked kitchen with lunch provided daily and dinner provided twice weekly \nCompany and team-bonding events, happy hours and mission-success celebrations \nComplimentary EV charging \n\nIntern Positions:\nHealth & Wellness \nPaid observed holidays\n100% company-paid Medical, Dental, and Vision insurance plans for employees and dependents with FSA and employer-matched HSA options\n$120/month wellness reimbursement for gym and fitness expenses\nSponsored One Medical memberships for employees and their dependents\nFinancial \n$20/pay period cell phone reimbursement\nUp to $4,000 gross up in relocation support, if eligible\nUp to $850 commute credit through Lyft or car rental reimbursement, if eligible\nWorkplace Experience & Perks\nFully stocked kitchen with lunch provided daily and dinner provided twice weekly\nCompany and team-bonding events, happy hours and mission-success celebrations\nComplimentary EV charging\nITAR Requirements\nVarda, 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.\n“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).\nE-Verify Statement\nVarda 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.\nE-Verify Notice Right To Work Notice\nRead more Read more\nVarda 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.","description_format":"text","description_chars":8832,"description_truncated":false,"requirements":{"experience_years_min":null,"management_years_min":null,"team_size_min":null,"manages_managers":false,"education":{"level":"bachelor","optional":false},"security_clearance":false,"languages":[]},"benefits":["Equity","Parental leave","Retirement plans","Stock options","Vision insurance"],"hiring_locations":[{"name":"United States","iso":"US","kind":"country"}],"hiring_excludes":[],"relocation_offered":true,"industries":["Satellite Manufacturing","Space Services"],"lifecycle":[{"event":"open","at":"2026-10-03T11:55:29Z"}],"visa":[],"liveness":{"score":25,"band":"fade","label":"Fading","p_open":1,"p_active":0.431,"p_room":0.578,"age_days":7,"expected_fill_days":6,"reasons":["conf:2","stale_co","velocity","win:tail"],"computed_at":"2026-10-10T05:45:15Z"},"pay":{"stated_usd_annual":184026,"is_top_pay":true},"html_url":"https://alion.io/job/varda-space-industries-rf-components-engineer-ii","json_url":"https://alion.io/job/varda-space-industries-rf-components-engineer-ii.json","meta":{"generated_at":"2026-10-11T23:40:16Z","cache_seconds":300,"methodology":"https://alion.io/methodology","terms":"https://alion.io/terms","contact":"https://alion.io/contact","api":"https://alion.io/developers","about":"Alion is a live layer of people, companies and AI agents: who they are, whether they are real and active right now, what they do and how to work with them, readable by people and by agents and paid per call.","catalog":"https://alion.io/catalog.json","usage":{"tier":"crawler_verified","counted_by":"address","units_charged":1,"used_today":14813,"day_limit":null,"remaining_today":null,"minute_limit":300,"resets_at":"2026-10-12T00:00:00Z"}},"offers":[{"id":"company.slices","title":"One company in depth, by slice","status":"live","price":{"credits":0.02,"usd":0.002,"plus_per_slice":{"credits":0.05,"usd":0.005}},"unit":"per company, plus each slice with data","note":"the employer in depth","call":{"mcp_tool":"get_company","arguments":{"id":58875},"rest":"https://alion.io/mcp/rest/get_company?id=58875"},"human":"https://alion.io/catalog?offer=company.slices&for=job%2Fvarda-space-industries-rf-components-engineer-ii"},{"id":"market.stats","title":"A market slice: pay, demand and time to fill","status":"live","price":{"credits":1,"usd":0.1},"unit":"per slice","note":"pay, demand and time to fill for this role and place","call":{"mcp_tool":"market_stats"},"human":"https://alion.io/catalog?offer=market.stats&for=job%2Fvarda-space-industries-rf-components-engineer-ii"},{"id":"job.search","title":"Open jobs by role, technology, place, pay and visa","status":"live","price":{"credits":0.02,"usd":0.002},"unit":"per posting in a list","note":"similar open postings","call":{"mcp_tool":"search_jobs"},"human":"https://alion.io/catalog?offer=job.search&for=job%2Fvarda-space-industries-rf-components-engineer-ii"},{"id":"company.verify","title":"Is this company real and active right now","status":"pilot","price":null,"unit":"per company","request":{"url":"https://alion.io/catalog/request","method":"POST","body":"{\"offer\": \"company.verify\", \"for\": \"job/varda-space-industries-rf-components-engineer-ii\", \"note\": \"what you need it for\"}"},"human":"https://alion.io/catalog?offer=company.verify&for=job%2Fvarda-space-industries-rf-components-engineer-ii"}]}