Senior Technical Recruiter

Varda Space Industries, Inc.; El Segundo (CA); On-site; USD 120,000 - 160,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Flexible PTO

Medical, Dental, Vision insurance

Wellness reimbursement

Parental leave

401(k) with company match

Relocation support

EV charging

Job summary

Varda Space Industries, Inc. in El Segundo, CA, is building an in-space ecosystem and is seeking a Senior Technical Recruiter to own end-to-end engineering recruitment.

You will manage 4-8 active searches, source via multiple channels, screen candidates for hardware and software disciplines, drive offers, and partner with stakeholders to accelerate hiring. This execution-first role emphasizes pipeline and data-driven decisions as the company scales its production and tech teams.

Qualifications

• 5+ years of full-cycle technical recruiting for engineering roles.
• Self-starter who drives searches independently.
• Proven ability to source and close senior/staff-level engineers in competitive markets.
• Clear, proactive communicator with candidates and hiring managers.

Responsibilities

• Manage 4-8 active searches simultaneously, keeping pipeline full and moving.
• Proactively source engineering talent through multiple channels.
• Conduct recruiter screens to assess engineering fundamentals and hardware integration experience.
• Drive offers through to close, including compensation and equity conversations.
• Take full accountability for search outcomes and use data to unblock bottlenecks.
• Operate with urgency and self-direction; flag risk early.
• Collaborate with stakeholders to keep hiring processes current.

Skills

Full-cycle technical recruiting

Engineering sourcing

Stakeholder management

Negotiation

Technical fluency

Job description

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

We'relooking for a Senior Technical Recruiter who thrives on sourcing and closing hard-to-find technical talent. You will own end-to-end recruiting across key engineering disciplines including software, avionics, propulsion, thermal, structures, manufacturing, etc. This is an execution-first role -you'llspendthe majority ofyour time in the market, generating pipeline, and running searches, as we continue to scale production.

Responsibilities

• Manage 4-8 active searches simultaneously, keeping pipeline full and moving without needing to be chased
• Proactively source engineering talent through multiple channels: active outreach, referrals, and passive candidate generation
• Conduct recruiter screens to assess engineering fundamentals, systems thinking, and hardware integration experience
• Drive offers through to close, including compensation and equity conversations
• Take full accountability for search outcomes on your reqs — use data and metrics to identify and unblock bottlenecks
• Operate with urgency and self-direction; flag risk early rather than let a search stall
• Collaborate with stakeholders to keep hiring processes and candidate assessment frameworks current

Basic Qualifications

• 5+ years of full-cycle technical recruiting witha track recordof high-volume, hands-on sourcing for engineering roles
• A demonstrated self-starter who takes full accountability for outcomes without close oversight; comfortable operating with ambiguity and pushing searches forward independently
• Proven ability to source and close senior/staff-level engineering talent in competitive markets
• Clear, proactive communicator with both candidates and hiring managers; keeps stakeholders informed without being asked
• Strong technical fluency; can speak credibly with engineers about their work

Preferred Skills and Experience

• In-house recruiting experience at a hardware or deep tech startup (Series A through growth stage)

Compensation & Location

• Base Salary: $120,000 - $160,000/per year
• Leveling and base salary are determined by job-related skills, education level, experience level, and job performance
• You will be eligible for incentives in the form of stock options and/or long-term cash awards

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:

• 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)
• SponsoredOne Medicalmemberships for employees and their dependents
• 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:

• 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.
• $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

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 theE-Verify program.

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.