Technical Recruiter Strategy & Ops

Frontdoor Defense; El Segundo, Northern (CA, KY); Hybrid; USD 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Stock options

Long-term cash awards

Job summary

Varda Space Industries in El Segundo, CA is seeking a Technical Recruiter to build a robust pipeline of hard-to-fill hardware engineering talent across avionics, propulsion, thermal, structures, and manufacturing. This execution-first role emphasizes sourcing, screening, and close collaboration with hiring managers.

You will own the sourcing strategy, manage 4–8 active searches, and maintain pipeline health with proactive messaging and assessments.

Qualifications

• 2+ years of technical sourcing or recruiting in engineering roles.
• Proven ability to source senior engineering talent in competitive markets.
• Hands-on LinkedIn Recruiter experience with Boolean/search strategy.
• Self-starter who handles urgency and multiple priorities independently.
• Clear, proactive communicator with candidates and hiring managers.
• Technical fluency in hardware and/or software to contextualize role requirements.

Responsibilities

• Manage 4–8 active searches concurrently with full pipelines.
• Source engineering talent via LinkedIn Recruiter, Gem, referrals, and channels.
• Write outreach messages and run recruiter screens assessing fundamentals.
• Partner with hiring managers to define ideal profile and boundaries.
• Own pipeline health; track metrics and refine approach.
• Share market insights to adjust search criteria and strategy.

Skills

LinkedIn Recruiter

Boolean search

Sourcing

Multitasking

Communication

Tech fluency

Tools

Greenhouse ATS

Gem

Job description

Technical Recruiter

Build and maintain a robust pipeline of hard-to-fill hardware engineering talent for growth

Location: El Segundo, California

Compensation: $90,000 - 120,000 USD / year

About The Role

Technical Recruiter

Varda is accelerating the development of commercial space infrastructure, from in-orbit pharmaceutical processing to reliable and economical reentry capsules. We're looking for a Technical Recruiter who thrives on sourcing hard-to-find engineering talent. You'll own the sourcing strategy and top-of-funnel health for key hardware disciplines such as avionics, propulsion, thermal, structures, mechanisms, or manufacturing. This is an execution-first role. You'll spend most of your time in the market, mainly in LinkedIn Recruiter, identifying, engaging, and screening candidates to build strong pipelines as we scale.

Responsibilities

• Manage 4-8 active searches at once, keeping pipelines full and moving.
• Source engineering talent proactively through LinkedIn Recruiter, Gem, referrals, and other channels, with a focus on passive candidates.
• Write outreach messages and run recruiter screens that assess engineering fundamentals, systems thinking, and hardware integration experience.
• Partner with hiring managers and recruiters at intake to define the ideal profile, separating must-haves from nice-to-haves and setting clear boundaries for the search.
• Own pipeline health. Track response rates, conversion by stage, and sourcing channel effectiveness, and use the data to refine your approach.
• Bring market insights (talent supply, compensation signals, competitor activity) to hiring managers, and use them to adjust search criteria and strategy.
• Take part in calibration sessions and help keep interview processes, assessment frameworks, and the candidate experience current.
• Build and maintain a warm talent community for recurring hard-to-fill disciplines.
• Work with People Ops to follow applicable employment laws, OFCCP requirements, and export control considerations in aerospace hiring.

Basic Qualifications

• 2+ years of technical sourcing or recruiting experience, with a track record of filling hard-to-fill, high-volume engineering roles.
• Proven ability to source senior engineering talent in competitive markets.
• Hands-on LinkedIn Recruiter experience, including advanced Boolean and search strategy.
• Self-starter who works with urgency and manages multiple priorities independently.
• Clear, proactive communicator with candidates and hiring managers who keeps stakeholders informed.
• Enough technical fluency in hardware and/or software engineering to evaluate candidate depth and put role requirements in context.

Preferred Skills and Experience

• In-house recruiting experience at a hardware or deep tech startup (Series A through growth stage).
• Experience recruiting for hardware engineering roles.
• Experience with Greenhouse ATS and Gem.
• Exposure to ITAR/export-controlled hiring environments.
• Active network in the LA aerospace corridor.
• Familiarity with diversity sourcing strategies and tools.

Compensation & Location

• Base Salary: $90,000 - $120,000/per year
• Leveling and base salary is 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
• Location: El Segundo, CA (onsite)

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.

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.