Spacecraft Technician (Avionics Satellite Harness Manufacturing)

The role

The Spacecraft Technician manufactures, assembles, inspects, and tests electrical harnesses for satellite bus, payload, and spacecraft systems. This role follows released drawings, schematics, and work instructions to support flight-quality avionics hardware production.

What you will do

• Manufacture satellite electrical harnesses, cable assemblies, and wire bundles.
• Cut, strip, label, route, and terminate wires.
• Perform crimping, soldering, splicing, shielding, grounding, and connector assembly.
• Install backshells, strain relief, sleeving, heat shrink, shielding, and identification labels.
• Assemble harnesses using form boards, fixtures, and approved tooling.
• Perform continuity, resistance, insulation resistance, and pin-to-pin verification testing.
• Use multimeters, hipot testers, and breakout boxes.
• Inspect workmanship for damaged wire, improper crimps, solder defects, and routing issues.
• Complete work orders, inspection, and test documentation.
• Follow ESD, FOD, cleanroom, and contamination-control procedures.

Required qualifications

• High school diploma, GED, technical school certificate, or equivalent hands-on experience.
• 5+ years of experience manufacturing electrical harnesses, cable assemblies, avionics hardware, or high-reliability wiring.
• Ability to read and understand electrical schematics, wire lists, harness drawings, connector pinout tables, work instructions, and bill of materials.
• Experience with crimping, soldering, wire stripping, connector assembly, and harness routing.
• Experience using hand tools, crimp tools, soldering tools, heat guns, multimeters, and basic electrical test equipment.
• Strong attention to detail and documentation accuracy.
• Ability to follow written instructions and quality requirements.
• Ability to work independently and within a team environment.
• Ability to sit or stand for extended periods.
• Ability to use hand tools and small tools for precision assembly.
• Ability to lift up to 25–35 lbs.
• Ability to work under magnification or with small connector pins and contacts.

Nice to have

• Aerospace, satellite, spacecraft, defense or high-reliability electronics experience.
• Experience manufacturing flight harnesses or avionics cable assemblies.
• Knowledge of IPC/WHMA-A-620, J-STD-001, or NASA workmanship standards.
• Experience with ESD-controlled and cleanroom environments.
• Experience performing continuity, hipot, insulation resistance, and functional testing.
• Experience with D-sub, Micro-D, circular, coax, RF, or high-density connectors.
• Experience with shield terminations, drain wires, grounding, and backshell assembly.
• Familiarity with NCR, MRB, redlines, ECOs, and configuration control.
• Experience working with Engineering and Quality during first builds or prototype builds.

Benefits

• Stock options
• Long-term cash awards

Before you apply

• Must be a U.S. person (U.S. citizen, U.S. lawful permanent resident, or protected individual).
• Participates in the U.S. Department of Homeland Security E-Verify program.

About the company

Varda is accelerating the development of commercial space infrastructure, from in-orbit pharmaceutical processing to reliable and economical reentry capsules. The company is headquartered in El Segundo, California.