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 This Role

Varda has built a commercially proven, high-cadence spacecraft and reentry capability. The next step is to bring that capability to bear on national security missions that don't yet have a program of record, missions that require new concepts of operation, new mission architectures, and new ways of contracting with a commercial provider.

As Director of Business Development & Capture – Advanced Concepts, you will own the strategy and execution for adapting Varda's commercial capabilities to emerging and non-traditional government missions. This is a senior, individual-accountability role: you will be responsible for a portfolio of advanced-concept pursuits from first customer conversation through award, and you will be the voice of the classified and special-access customer inside Varda.

You will work directly with Varda's executive team, engineering leadership, and program managers to shape mission concepts, define the business case, and close. You will be expected to operate independently in the classified environment, to understand where the customer's problem set is heading before a solicitation exists, and to position Varda to win.

This is a full-time position located in Washington, DC, or El Segundo, CA. Significant time in both locations is expected regardless of home office.