- Full Time
- El Segundo, California, United States
Varda Space Industries at a glance
varda.com- Founded 2020
SEC filings mentioning "Varda Space Industries": 16 — search EDGAR
Source: Wikipedia
Varda Space Industries
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
Our pharmaceutical R&D team is looking for highly motivated and creative Senior Scientist, Analytical Sciences who will lead efforts in improving therapeutics with microgravity. This is an opportunity in an exciting area of growth for Varda, the role will shape Varda’s product culture and will play a significant role in establishing the low earth orbit economy.
Responsibilities
- Develop, optimize and validate analytical methods for characterizing biologic and small molecule drug substances and drug products using LC-MS and other biophysical analytical techniques
- Participate in project planning, resource mapping, and timeline scheduling to ensure product development and flight schedules are maintained.
- Carry out hands-on experiments and work with external testing sites to fully characterize drug substances and drug products
- Train junior scientists on techniques and ensure high quality analytical data is produced by Varda
- Collaborate closely with product development, formulation sciences, and broader engineering groups to drive drug development activities
- Author relevant documents such as methods, protocols, validation reports, and regulatory filings as needed
Basic Qualifications
- M.S., or Ph. D. degree in Chemistry, Biochemistry, Chemical Engineering, Materials Science or related fields
- 3+ years of experience with Ph.D., 6+ years of experience with M.S.
- Track record of developing methods for use in regulated filings and workflows
Preferred Skills and Experience
- Ph. D in Analytical Chemistry, Pharmaceutical, or Biotechnology degree, with 4+ years of pharmaceutical industry experience developing characterization methods for biologics and small molecule APIs.
- Extensive experience in developing, optimizing, and troubleshooting intact, subunit, and peptide map LC-MS analysis of complex biologics
- Experience with UV, DLS, DSF, NMR, CD, FTIR, Raman, and particle sizing technologies
- Experience with chromatographic and affinity-based methods (HPLC/UPLC, LC-MS/MS, SEC-MALS, GC-MS, CE-SDS, icIEF, SDS-PAGE)
- Track record of method development as demonstrated by publications in peer-reviewed journals, IND/BLA/NDA filings, and presentations at scientific conferences
- Experience as the responsible engineer or technical owner of projects across project lifecycle
Pay Range
- Salary Range: $140,000.00 – $180,000.00/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 long-term incentives in the form of stock options and/or long-term cash awards
Benefits
Varda offers a comprehensive benefits package designed to support health, financial well‑being, and a high‑quality workplace experience. Below is an overview of what full‑time employees receive (at this time, interns receive a subset of benefits):
Health & Wellness
- Flexible PTO policy + 12 paid holidays
- 100% company-paid Medical, Dental, and Vision insurance plans for employees and dependents with FSA and employer-matched HSA options
- Voluntary accident, hospital, critical illness, and pet insurance
- $120/month wellness reimbursement for gym and fitness expenses
- 12 weeks of parental leave (with supplemental disability leave for CA mothers)
- Family building, pregnancy, parenting and menopause benefits via Maven Clinic
- Sponsored One Medical memberships for employees and their dependents
Financial & Retirement
- Substantial incentive equity in a fully funded space start-up
- 401(k) retirement plan with 6% employer match (immediately vested)
- $20/pay period cell phone reimbursement
- Relocation support for new hires, if needed
Workplace Experience & Perks
- Fully stocked kitchen with lunch provided daily and dinner provided twice weekly
- Company and team-bonding events, happy hours and mission-success celebrations
- Complimentary EV charging
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
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.
To apply for this job please visit job-boards.greenhouse.io.
Terms used in this posting
- PTO
- Paid Time Off — vacation, personal, or sick days you can take while still being paid.
- equity
- Ownership stake in the company, usually in the form of stock options or RSUs, offered in addition to salary.
Explore Varda Space Industries online
What people say about Varda Space Industries
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Recent news
- Varda Space Industries and United Therapeutics Collaborate to Advance Microgravity-Enabled Treatments for Rare Pulmonary Disease - PR Newswire
- Sixth Varda mission successfully returns - SpaceNews
- Varda Space Industries W-6 Capsule Touches Down in South Australia - satnews.com
- Startup Varda Space Industries snags former Mattel plant in El Segundo - Los Angeles Times
- Heat Shield Flight Testing and Space Industry Growth: NASA Successes - NASA (.gov)
Aggregated from public discussions and news; opinions are the authors’ own.
Working in El Segundo, Los Angeles County
Weather right now in El Segundo, Los Angeles County: checking… · Local time: · Air quality: · Daylight: · UV index:
California is a U.S. state in the Western United States that lies on the Pacific Coast. It borders Oregon to the north, and Nevada and Arizona to the east; it also shares an international border with the Mexican state of Baja California to the south. With over 39 million residents across an area of 163,696 square miles (423,970 km2), it is the largest U.S. state by population and third-largest by
🇺🇸 Relocation safety for US: Exercise Normal Caution — via Warnely, CC BY 4.0
National unemployment rate in US: 4.2% — via World Bank
- Elevation 33m (108 ft)
Source: Wikipedia (state)
Job details above are provided by the employer/source. The sections on this page are compiled from public data sources with AI assistance.
Accommodations: if you need a workplace accommodation to apply for or perform this job, see ADA.gov or EEOC.gov for guidance on your rights and how to request one.
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