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.

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 (coming soon).

Join Varda, and work to create a bustling in-space ecosystem.

About This Role

As the Director of People Operations, you will be responsible for managing Varda’s corporate culture, recruiting strategies, company growth, performance management, and keeping our team happy and healthy. You will build and lead people operations at Varda including Human Resources and Recruiting. You will oversee organization design and compensation including equity and cap table management to ensure our recruiting and employee retention initiatives are always ahead of the market. This is the ideal opportunity for someone who has scaled a People Operations and Human Resources organization and is eager to shape the people function in an face-paced, data driven, and creative environment.

You and your team will coordinate Varda personnel to support all disciplines of the company including engineering, corporate operations, business development, and pharmaceutical scientists. This is a strong emphasis on cultivating and retaining internal talent. Your experience will drive the company growth beyond an early-stage startup and into an industry leader.

This is a full-time, exempt position located in our El Segundo headquarters

Responsibilities

Develop and execute a strategic people roadmap aligned with Varda’s growth and focused on talent retention and internal mobility
Coach and advise managers and leadership on organizational design, workforce planning, and strategies for retaining top talent through performance management and development initiatives
Build, mentor, and manage a growing team of HR and talent professionals
Continue to design and implement Varda’s compensation philosophies, structures, and practices, including the management of employee compensation structures, with a strong understanding of cap tables and equity
Design and drive transparent and effective performance management processes and outcomes that align with our culture, identify high-potential employees, and facilitate internal promotions
Create a learning and development program to support our managers and teams
Facilitate internal transfers, oversee and facilitate promotion opportunities, conduct exit interviews, and identify trends to support retention, career development and to minimize risk for the business
Respond to employee inquiries, questions and complaints, and provide information, guidance and direction on employee relations issues, performance management, and other core HR functions
Design and develop software tools and automations to link recruiting, HR, and finance
Work with finance teams to ensure headcount planning and recruiting goals are in-line with company financial modeling and planning
Lead job evaluation processes, salary survey strategy, pay budgeting, and equity analysis to maintain market competitiveness and internal equity

Basic Qualifications

Minimum of 8+ years in HR, People Operations, or related fields, with at least 3 years in a leadership or management capacity
Bachelor's degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, or related field
Prior experience scaling People functions at a high-growth (tech-focused) startup
- Tenure at a hardware tech company is a plus
Strong understanding of cap tables and equity compensation structures, as well as broader compensation design and pay philosophy, with experience in aligning compensation with performance and retention goals
Strong knowledge of employment laws , including wage and hour, ADA, FMLA, FLSA, and EEO regulations
Experience in talent management at both manager and individual contributor levels, with a deep understanding of performance improvement planning, career development frameworks, and succession planning
Excellent interpersonal skills with the ability to influence and collaborate across all levels of the organization
Comfortable building (and leveraging) HRIS, ATS, and data analytics tools
Strong analytical, mathematical, statistical, and conceptual skills; Excel expertise is required
Exceptional analytical, problem solving, and organizational skills
A proactive and empathetic communication style
U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident of the U.S. to conform with U.S Government space technology export regulations under ITAR

Pay Range

This role is on-site in El Segundo, CA
Director of People Operations: $148,000 - $207,000 /year
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
Offer compensation also includes the ability to purchase company stock through the Employee Stock Purchase Plan

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. At present, some of our technology to which employees have access requires a license to be exported to individuals other than “U.S. Persons” as defined in U.S. export regulations. Because our employees are provided access to export-controlled items, our current 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 in the U.S.)
Learn more about the ITAR here.

Benefits

Exciting team of professionals at the top of their field working by your side
Equity in a fully funded space startup with potential for significant growth (interns excluded)
401(k) matching (interns excluded)
Unlimited PTO (interns excluded)
Health insurance, including Vision and Dental
Lunch and snacks provided on site every day. Dinners provided twice a week.
Maternity / Paternity leave (interns excluded)

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.

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