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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 Mechanisms Technician role involves the assembly, integration, testing, troubleshooting, and maintenance of mechanical systems and fluid handling devices used in aerospace vehicles and equipment.

Responsibilities

  • Assemble, install, and integrate aerospace mechanical systems and mechanisms.
  • Assemble and support fluid handling devices and systems used in pharmaceutical or controlled environments.
  • Perform functional testing, calibration, and validation of mechanical components, subsystems, and fluid devices.
  • Troubleshoot and diagnose mechanical issues using schematics, technical drawings, and test data.
  • Support environmental and performance testing.
  • Interpret engineering drawings, CAD models, and work instructions.
  • Maintain detailed records of builds, tests, and inspections.
  • Collaborate with engineers to improve designs and fluid system performance.
  • Perform preventative maintenance and repairs on test equipment and mechanical systems.
  • Ensure adherence to safety protocols and quality standards.
  • Assist with root cause analysis and corrective actions for mechanical and fluid system failures.

Requirements

  • Associate’s degree or technical certification in Mechanical Engineering Technology, Aerospace Technology, or related field.
  • 3-5+ years of hands-on experience with precision mechanical assembly, preferably in aerospace, satellite, or defense manufacturing.
  • Experience with fluid handling systems, including tubing, fittings, pumps, or valves.
  • Proficiency with precision tools, measurement instruments, and assembly techniques.
  • Ability to read and interpret engineering drawings and schematics.
  • Familiarity with mechanical systems such as gears, bearings, and actuators.
  • Strong troubleshooting and problem-solving skills.
  • Attention to detail and ability to work in a high-precision environment.

Benefits

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

Additional Information

  • May work in laboratories, manufacturing floors, or cleanroom environments.
  • Requires use of PPE and adherence to strict safety and quality standards.
  • May involve standing for long periods and handling delicate or heavy components.

Benefits

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

Pay in context

At roughly $40/hr, this posting comes in about 17% below the $48/hr median for welding jobs in El Segundo, CA, where the middle half runs $38–$69/hr across 21 postings with published pay. Put another way, it pays more than about 29% 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. Mechanisms Technician (Aerospace) figures were last recalculated when this page was built.