International Capture Director

Vardaspace; Huntsville (AL); On-site; USD 215,000 - 240,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health insurance

Relocation support

Stock options

401(k) plan

Discretionary incentives

Gym/Wellness stipend

Job summary

Varda Space Industries is seeking an International Capture Director, based on-site in Huntsville, AL, to lead end-to-end capture efforts for international defense opportunities. You will guide cross-border campaigns, ensure regulatory compliance, and drive growth in the global defense and space domains.

Ideal candidates have 7+ years in international capture within aerospace/defense, strong leadership, and deep knowledge of ITAR/EAR, with the ability to travel 35–50% and hold US citizenship.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in international business/marketing, Engineering, Science, Global Affairs, or a related technical discipline.
• 7+ years of dedicated capture management or business development in international aerospace/defense tech.
• Proventrack record leading end-to-end international captures via FMS or DCS.
• Demonstrated experience with ITAR/EAR export control compliance and cross-border transfers.
• Experience directing matrixed proposal teams including engineering, pricing, legal, and compliance.
• Exceptional written skills for white papers, executive summaries, and technical proposals.
• Active TS/SCI security clearance (or fast-track ability).

Responsibilities

• Identify, qualify, and capture high-value international defense solicitations across governments and aerospace entities.
• Own international proposals from handoff gate through negotiation and closure, ensuring regulatory compliance.
• Apply ITAR/EAR expertise to structure compliant international testbeds and pursuits.
• Partner with Mission Management to execute global keep-sold strategies with existing accounts.
• Conduct global go/no-go gate reviews evaluating alignment, geopolitics, competition, and ROI.
• Analyze defense budgets, procurement cycles, and geopolitical landscapes to map programs.
• Coordinate with engineering, pricing, legal, and compliance to translate specs into winning proposals.
• Engage high-level stakeholders across governments, military attaches, embassies, and industry leaders.
• Represent Varda at international defense conferences and air shows to expand footprint.

Skills

Global Opportunity Management

Lifecycle Ownership

Export & Regulatory Compliance

Cross-functional Leadership

Communication

Security Clearance (TS/SCI)

Travel Availability

US Citizenship

Education

Bachelor’s degree in international business/marketing, Engineering, Science, Global Affairs, or related technical discipline

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 Varda

Varda Space Industries is pioneering the future of space-based manufacturing and terrestrial reentry technologies. We support a diverse portfolio of customers, from pharmaceutical companies leveraging microgravity for novel product development to domestic and international defense partners utilizing our Hypersonic and Reentry testbed. Our Reentry Targets offerings validate cutting-edge missile defense capabilities for the U.S. government, allied nations, private industry, and elite academic institutions globally.

The Role

As the International Capture Director, you will serve as the strategic bridge between global Business Development and Mission Management, driving Varda’s expansion across the international defense, aerospace, and space intelligence markets. Based on-site in Huntsville, AL, you will own the end-to-end capture lifecycle for foreign opportunities, orchestrate complex cross-border campaigns, and continuouslyoptimizeour international capture processes and toolsets.

In this role, you will lead formal Color Team reviews, execute "Black Hat" competitive assessmentsforforeign and domesticcustomers, and architect sophisticated international Price-to-Win (PTW) strategies. You will directly accelerate the growth ofVarda’s,Hypersonic Test Bed,Targets-as-a-Service (TaaS), and Orbital Cargoportfolio by securing multi-million dollarcontracts with allied ministries of defense, international aerospace conglomerates, and global R&D entities.

What You'll Do

• Global Opportunity Management:Identify, qualify, and capture high-value international defense solicitations across allied foreign governments, international defense agencies, and commercial aerospace R&D entities.
• Lifecycle Ownership:Assume full accountability for international proposals at the handoff gate, driving the strategy throughUSregulatory compliance, multi-nation evaluations, contract negotiation, and closure.
• Export & Regulatory Compliance:Apply deepexpertisein Foreign Military Sales (FMS), Direct Commercial Sales (DCS), ITAR/EAR regulations, and international space treaties to structurecompliantand secure international testbed, orbitalcargoand target pursuits.
• Organic Global Growth:Partner with Mission Management to execute global "keep-sold" strategies, deepening penetration within existing international accounts and cross-border defense partnerships.
• Gate Reviews:Conduct rigorous global go/no-go assessments, evaluating international customer alignment, geopolitical risk, competitive positioning, and financial ROI.
• Competitive Intelligence:Analyze allied nations' defense budgetdocuments and processes, procurement cycles, and geopolitical threat landscapes to map program schedules and funding profiles.
• Cross-Functional Leadership:Coordinate with engineering, pricing, legal, and mission management to translate complex technical specs into winning proposal frameworks tailored for international clients.
• Stakeholder Engagement:Cultivate trusted, high-level relationships across foreign government agencies,USmilitary attachés,US Embassies,and global private defense industry leaders to embed key discriminators into Varda's offerings.
• Market Visibility:Represent Varda as a global thought leader at premier international defense conferences, air shows (e.g.,Paris, Farnborough), and global symposia to expand the brand's international footprint.

Basic Qualifications

• Education:Bachelor’s degree in international business/marketing, Engineering, Science, Global Affairs, or a related technical discipline.
• Experience:7+ years of dedicated capture management or business development experience within the international aerospace, defense, or national security technology sectors.
• Domain Expertise:Proventrack recordleading end-to-end international defense captures via FMS or DCS tracks from opportunity identification through contract award.
• Regulatory Mastery:Demonstratedexperience navigating ITAR, EAR, export control compliance, and cross-border technology transfers.
• Leadership:Experience directing matrixed, cross-functional proposal teams, including engineering, pricing, legal, and international trade compliance officers.
• Communication:Exceptional written skills with a demonstrated ability to author compelling white papers, executive summaries, and technical proposals accessible to a global audience.
• Clearance:Active TS/SCI security clearance (or the ability to be fast-tracked for one).
• Travel:Ability to travel 35% – 50% of the time, including extensive international travel.
• Citizenship:U.S. Citizenshiprequiredto conform with ITAR and U.S. space technology export control regulations.

Preferred Qualifications

• Master’s degree in Business Administration(MBA), Strategic Studies, Global Security, or Engineering.
• Established professional network within allied defense ministries (e.g.,Japan MoD,UK MoD, Australian DoD, NATO), global hypersonic communities, or international missile defense agencies.
• Familiarity with international space frameworks, multilateral defense agreements, and academic research funding mechanisms.
• Experienceutilizingmodern AI-driven capture tools and advanced prompt-engineering techniques tooptimizeinternational proposal workflows.

Compensation & Benefits

• Base Salary Range:$215,000.00 - $240,000.00 / year (Final leveling and salarydeterminedby skills, experience, and education).
• Incentives:Eligible for long-term incentives including stock options and/or long-term cash awards.
• Investment:Access toIncentiveStock(ISO/NSO)plans.
• Classification:Full-time, Exempt.
• Location: On-site, Huntsville, Alabama

Benefits

Consider your benefits covered for launch.At Varda, we invest in benefits andperksthat support your health, financial well-being, and life beyond work. Benefits vary by position, with packages designed specifically for our regular full-time employees and interns.

Regular Full-Time Positions:

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

• Voluntaryaccident, hospital, critical illness,andpet insurance

• $120/month wellness reimbursement for gym and fitness expenses

• 12weeks ofparental leave(with supplemental disability leavefor CAmothers)

• Family building, pregnancy,parentingand menopausebenefitsvia Maven Clinic

• SponsoredOne Medicalmemberships for employees and their dependents

Financial & Retirement

• Substantial incentive equityin a fully funded space start-up

• 401(k) retirement plan with 6% employer match (immediatelyvested)

• $20/pay period cell phone reimbursement

• Relocation supportfor new hires, if needed

Workplace Experience & Perks

• Fully stocked kitchen with lunch provided daily and dinner provided twice weekly

• Company and team-bonding events, happyhoursand mission-success celebrations

• Complimentary EV charging

Benefits forInternship Positions:

Health & Wellness

• Paidobservedholidays.

• 100% company-paid Medical, Dental, and Vision insurance plans for employees and dependents with FSA and employer-matched HSA options.

• $120/month wellness reimbursement for gym and fitness expenses.

• Sponsored One Medical memberships for employees and their dependents.

Financial

• $20/pay period cell phone reimbursement.

• Up to $4,000gross up in relocation support, ifeligible

• Up to $850commute credit through Lyft or car rental reimbursement, if eligible.

Workplace Experience & Perks

• Fully stocked kitchen with lunch provided daily and dinner provided twice weekly

• Company and team-bonding events, happyhoursand 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.