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Job Description

Overview

Varda is a company focused on developing commercial space infrastructure, including in-orbit pharmaceutical processing and reentry capsules. The Spacecraft Technician (Propulsion and Harness Integration – Satellites) will be responsible for the assembly and integration of satellite propulsion systems and electrical harnesses, ensuring that hardware is built safely and accurately.

Responsibilities

  • Install and integrate satellite propulsion components, including propulsion lines, valves, thrusters, and tanks.
  • Perform mechanical assembly using approved drawings and specifications.
  • Support leak checks, pressure checks, and system verification.
  • Route, install, and secure electrical harnesses on satellite structures.
  • Perform connector mating and demating using proper procedures.
  • Verify harness routing against drawings and schematics.
  • Accurately complete work orders and inspection records.
  • Maintain cleanliness and safety in the work area.

Requirements

  • High school diploma, GED, trade school certificate, or equivalent hands-on experience.
  • 3+ years of experience in aerospace, satellite, aircraft, automotive, or high-reliability manufacturing.
  • Experience reading engineering drawings and work instructions.
  • Hands-on experience with mechanical assembly and electrical harness installation.
  • Ability to use common hand tools and inspection tools.
  • Strong attention to detail and ability to work with high-value hardware.
  • Ability to work independently and as part of a team.
  • Comfortable working in a cleanroom or controlled manufacturing environment.

Benefits

  • 401k
  • Health Insurance
  • Dental
  • Vision
  • PTO

Additional Information

  • This position is performed in a satellite manufacturing and integration environment.
  • Overtime, weekend support, or shift flexibility may be required.

Benefits

401k
Health Insurance
Dental
Vision
PTO
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How this job compares in El Segundo, CA

Pay in context

At roughly $37/hr, this posting comes in about 23% below the $48/hr median for welding jobs in El Segundo, CA, where the middle half runs $40–$69/hr across 21 postings with published pay. Put another way, it pays more than about 5% of the comparable postings we have wage data for. That gap is worth raising directly — in a market this size there is normally room to negotiate toward the median, particularly if you already hold the certifications the posting asks for.

The local market in El Segundo, CA

We're tracking 25 other active welding openings in El Segundo, CA right now, from 13 different employers. 20 of them were added in the last week. Across California as a whole we're tracking 594 other active welding openings from 272 employers. A metro this active generally means you have real leverage — employers here are competing for the same welders. Browse every welding job in El Segundo, or widen the search to California.

Varda Space Industries currently has 5 other openings live in California, which is usually a sign of either steady growth or steady turnover — worth asking which in the interview.

The most active employers in California at the moment, by number of open welding reqs, are SpaceX (37), Welding Shop in Los Angeles, CA (17), and Honeywell Aerospace (16). Volume like that usually means either a genuine expansion or a staffing agency working several client sites — worth knowing which before you apply.

Within California, the best-paying metros we track by median hourly rate are Pasadena at $51/hr, Santa Ana at $48/hr, and El Segundo at $48/hr. El Segundo is among them.

Similar openings near El Segundo, CA

Pay figures are medians computed from live postings in the Welding Pros index, not from survey data, and they move as employers post. Spacecraft Technician (Propulsion and Harness Integration – Satellites) figures were last recalculated when this page was built.