Senior Technical Recruiter

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.

We're looking 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 hardware engineering disciplines such as avionics, propulsion, thermal, structures, mechanisms, or manufacturing. This is an execution-first role - you'll spend the majority of your time in the market, generating pipeline, and running searches, as we continue to scale production.

• Manage 4-8 active searches simultaneously, keeping pipeline full and moving 
• Proactively source engineering talent through multiple channels: active outreach, referrals, and passive candidate generation (LinkedIn Recruiter, Gem, etc.) 
• Conduct recruiter screens to assess engineering fundamentals, systems thinking, and hardware integration experience 
• Develop and maintain structured interview guides in collaboration with hiring managers. 
• Drive offers through to close, including compensation, equity, and relocation 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 risks early
• Collaborate with stakeholders to keep hiring processes and candidate assessment frameworks current, including calibration sessions, debrief facilitation, and continuous improvement of the candidate experience. 
• Build and maintain a warm candidate community for recurring hard-to-fill engineering disciplines 
• Partner with People Ops to ensure compliance with applicable employment laws, OFCCP, and export control considerations relevant to aerospace hiring  

• 5+ years of full-cycle technical recruiting with a track record of high-volume, hands-on sourcing for engineering roles 
• A demonstrated self-starter who takes full accountability for outcomes comfortable operating with ambiguity and pushing searches forward 
• Proven ability to source and close senior-level engineering talent in competitive markets 
• Clear, proactive communicator with both candidates and hiring managers; keeps stakeholders informed 
• Strong technical fluency with hardware and/or software engineering concepts; able to evaluate candidate depth and contextualize role requirements 

• 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 
• Exposure to ITAR/export-controlled hiring environments 
• Active network in the LA aerospace corridor 
• Familiarity with diversity sourcing strategies and tools 

• 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
• Location: El Segundo, CA (onsite)  

Benefits

Consider your benefits covered for launch.  At Varda, we invest in benefits and perks that 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  

• 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 (im