Technical Recruiter at vardaspace | AI Job Board

Job description

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

Varda is building the world's first space-based manufacturing platform, and we need a Technical Recruiter to help scale our engineering teams. Reporting to a Recruiting Manager, you will support full-cycle recruiting across hardware and engineering disciplines: autonomous systems, propulsion, thermal, mechanical engineering, and structures. This role is ideal for a recruiter who thrives in a fast-paced startup environment, can navigate ambiguity, and is ready to grow their career at the intersection of space and deep tech.

What You'll Own

Full-Cycle Execution

Source and screen engineering talent through multiple channels: active search, referrals, passive outreach, and technical communities
Manage multiple active searches simultaneously while maintaining a strong candidate and hiring manager experience
Conduct recruiter screens to assess technical fit, cultural alignment, and compensation expectations
Support offer processes in partnership with Recruiting Managers
Own candidate experience from first touch through onboarding

Process & Systems

Maintain accurate and up-to-date candidate records in Greenhouse (ATS)
Partner with recruiting coordinators to ensure smooth scheduling and interview logistics
Contribute to pipeline-building and sourcing strategy for hard-to-fill engineering roles

What Success Looks Like

Build strong, trust-based relationships with hiring managers and candidates alike
Deliver quality engineering candidates on consistent timelines
Demonstrate a growth mindset — learn quickly, iterate on process, and ask good questions
Develop technical fluency across Varda's core engineering disciplines

Requirements

Must-Haves

2+ years of full-cycle technical recruiting experience
Experience recruiting for hardware-centric or engineering-focused companies (aerospace, robotics, automotive, deep tech, or similar deep tech)
Strong communication and organizational skills with the ability to manage multiple searches simultaneously
Genuine curiosity about the technical work your candidates do — you don't need to be an engineer, but you need to want to understand it
Experience working in fast-paced, high-growth startup environments

Strongly Preferred

In-house or embedded recruiting experience at a hardware or deep tech company
Startup equity fluency — comfortable explaining equity structures, vesting schedules, and how to think about total compensation
Exposure to engineering disciplines such as autonomous systems, propulsion, thermal, mechanical, or structures
Familiarity with ITAR requirements or regulated defense/aerospace industries
Experience using Greenhouse or a comparable ATS, and sourcing tools like Gem or LinkedIn Recruiter

Compensation & Location

Base Salary: $100,000 – $120,000 - This range reflects the potential levels at which we may hire for this role. Final compensation will depend on experience, skills, location, scope of responsibility, as well as internal equity.
Equity Included
Location: El Segundo, CA (onsite)

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